WorthPoint » Harry Rinker

Q & A with Harry Rinker: A Vincent Price Collection Oil Painting from Sears

Harry Rinker — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:08:53 +0000

QUESTION: I received a Robert Watson oil-on-canvas painting from my parents, who purchased it in the 1960s as part of the Vincent Price Collection sold by Sears, Roebuck & Co. The work is titled “Old Building.” It measures unframed 25 inches by 17 inches. The black-and-white tone scene features two small figures standing in front of what appears to be a warehouse wall. The frame has the “Vincent Price Collection” label on the back. What is the value of my painting?

– SH, Ottumwa, Iowa, via e-mail

ANSWER: The following information is from The Ape Sheet: The Vincent Price Collection” was an experiment started by Sears, Roebuck and Co. to sell fine art to the general public. They hired Vincent Price to assemble the collection because he had a recognizable name and a reputation as an art collector. The actor purchased more than 2,700 works and the first 100 went on sale in October of 1962. To the store’s surprise, it worked. People clamored to buy pieces by artists such as Albrecht Durer or Reginald Pollack. Discontinued in 1971, the Vincent Price Collection has been forgotten as an odd art historical moment.”

A 1967 Sears catalog featured a Pablo Picasso oil on canvas entitled “Girl with a Boat” (Maya Picasso) for $800. I wish I had purchased it.

Robert Watson (Jan. 28, 1923 – Dec. 14, 2004), born in Martinez, Calif., is classified as a surrealist and neo-romanticist. He honed his skills studying old masters at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and worked briefly with Frederick Taubers at the University of Wisconsin. He lived for many years in Berkeley, Calif. Gump’s in San Francisco sponsored his first one-man show in 1947. His work is in museum collections around the world. His celebrity clients included Ray Bradbury, Clark Gable, Armand Hammer, Burt Reynolds and Ed Sullivan. Watson did the painting used to illustrate the 1953 edition of Bradbury’s “Martian Chronicles.” To learn more about Watson, visit www.robertwatsonart.com.

On May 28, 2007, Heritage Auctions sold an oil on canvas entitled “Figures” that measures 32 inches by 18 inches that is similar to your painting, based on the photograph image that accompanied your e-mail. It is from the same series. The final selling price was $2,390.

In researching Robert Watson painting values, there was a price disparity of more than 50 percent between prices realized at auction and asked by galleries. Based on modern trends in the surrealist/neo-romanticist market, your painting has a secondary market auction value around $3,000.

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QUESTION: My mother has a copy of a 1984 article you wrote for the Allentown Morning Call in which you talked about a ceramic Jell-O cow pitcher worth $525. My mother acquired a Jell-O cow pitcher in the 1950s and has kept it stored in her dish cabinet since that time. It is in great shape. Now, she would like to sell it. Any information you can supply would be helpful.

– TC, Bethlehem, Pa, via e-mail

ANSWER: I am not the author, at least not to my knowledge. “Rinker on Collectibles” did not begin until late 1987. The author was most likely another syndicated antiques and collectibles columnist and her husband who will remain nameless.

Wondering what caused a ceramic Jell-O cow pitcher to have such a high value in 1984, I did research. The answer is Prescott Baston, creator of Sebastian miniatures. After completing a series of Sebastian miniatures for Jell-O between 1951 and 1955, Baston designed a cow pitcher for Jell-O in 1956.

The Sebastian World website is the source for information about Sebastian figurines: Prescott W. Baston (1909-1984), who attended the Vesper George School of Art in Boston, created his first miniatures for Exeter and Deerfield Academies in 1930. During the Depression, Baston worked for a Boston clock company, a furniture moving company and as a mural painter. In 1938, he designed a miniature for the Shaker Glen House Restaurant. This led to his working with Carborne, a Boston wholesale gift distributor. Between 1939 and 1941, Baston developed a cottage industry producing and painting miniatures in his basement. In 1945, he moved to Marblehead and set up a studio.

Starting in 1950, Baston focused on producing commercial miniatures for advertising and/or giveaway promotions. Radio station WEEI and Jell-O were among his clients. In the early 1960s, Baston expanded his product line to include pen stands, religious pieces and Toby Jugs. Lance Corporation of Hudson, Mass., produced pewter figures based on Baston’s designs starting in 1969. In 1976, Lance assumed production and distribution of all Sebastian miniatures. The Sebastian Miniatures Collectors Society began in 1980.

Sebastian collectors identify the Jell-O cow pitcher as LC-13. It measures 6 ¾ icches long and 4 ¾ inches high. Jell-O offered the pitcher as a premium for $1 plus a coupon from a national Jell-O advertisement. A Japanese manufacturer produced 100,000 pieces.

Current book values vary. The website Sebastian World shows a value range between $210 and $220, although a notation indicates the value was last revised in 2003. Kyle Husfloen’s “Antique Trader Pottery and Porcelain Ceramics Price Guide, 5th Edition” (KP/Krause Publications, an imprint of F+W Publications, 2006) values the pitcher between $345 and $375. When using any price source, it is critical to check the copyright or value source date. The secondary market constantly changes.

A Jell-O cow creamer with glaze damage to one of the hooves listed on eBay with an opening bid of $48.99 (plus $9 shipping) failed to attract any bidders. WorthPoint price information includes an example in very good condition that sold on eBay on October 5, 2007 for $92.99.

Interpreting this price information produced the following results. First, if $525 was a fair secondary market value in the mid-1980s, the secondary market has lost between 40 and 75 percent of its 1984 value, depending on what source you wish to believe. Second, price guides are slow to reflect secondary market price declines. No one likes reading that the value of their favorite antique or collectibles has declined. Third, the secondary market is flooded. Thus, a realistic secondary current market value is between $75 and $85. Fourth, the number of Sebastian miniature collectors has decreased by more than two-thirds (my best guess) from its mid-1980s high. Finally, the likelihood of a future resurgence of collector interest in Sebastian miniatures is slim to none. While there always will be collectors, their numbers will be small.

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QUESTION: I have a tin pail about the size of a paint bucket. It is made of metal and painted with a shiny black ground and features a spread-winged eagle with three stars above its head and its talons holding arrows. The pail and the lid hinge are held together by rivets. Is this a piece of folk art someone created?

— LT, Janesville, Wis., via e-mail

ANSWER: Forget about any folk art attributions. Your pail is a manufactured commercial product.

When I first looked at the images of the pail that accompanied your e-mail, I thought 1930s Colonial Revival accessory. After a few moments’ reflection, I moved the date to the 1950s.

Although living in Michigan for more than a year, Linda and I still are unpacking boxes. Missing in the move, but most certainly among the unpacked boxes, is my collection of merchant (trading) stamp redemption catalogs. If I look at the Colonial Revival maple furniture and accessory pages from a late 1950s or early 1960s catalog, I am certain I will find your pail.

While most collectors think of 1950s maple as western-themed furniture, over half was Early American (Colonial) in motif. Eagle motifs on black surfaces were found on lamp shades, boxes and a host of other decorative accessories.

While your pail has little collector value, it does have decorator and reuse value. An antiques mall dealer would price it between $25 and $35.

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QUESTION: I have a commemorative plate. The front states: “To commemorate the Bi-Centenary of the discovery of Australia 1770-1970.” The image features the HMB Endeavour, Capt. James Cook, and a variety of coats of arms and emblems. The back contains a blurb about Cook and his ships plus “This plate is no. 199 of limited hand painted edition, produced by Wood and Sons Ltd., Burslem, England.” Would you have any idea of its worth?

– KMcM, Brisbane, Australia, via e-mail

ANSWER: I found the following reference on the United Kingdom version of eBay: “Wood & Sons Ltd. Australia Bi-Centenary black & white commemorative plate of the discovery of Australia 1770-1970. Plate is 10” in diameter with decorative scenes of H.M.B Endeavor at sea, picture of Capt. James Cook RN, and various coats of arms. Back of plate has a brief history of James Cook and His Majesty’s Barque Endeavor and backstamp of Woods & Sons Ltd of Burslem. Condition is good.” Since the description matches your plate, they must be one in the same.

The seller is asking £19.99 plus £4.60 for shipping. Since no one has purchased the plate, this number is high. The limited edition number is meaningless.

Your plate has its greatest value in Australia. My recommendation is to search Australian eBay, until you find an example that sells through. The final price should be between $10 and $15 Australian.

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Rinker Enterprises and Harry L. Rinker are on the Internet. Check out Harry’s Web site..

You can listen and participate in Harry’s antiques-and-collectibles radio call-in show “Whatcha Got?” on Sunday mornings between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. Eastern Time. It streams live on the Genesis Communications Network.

“Sell, Keep Or Toss? How To Downsize A Home, Settle An Estate, And Appraise Personal Property” (House of Collectibles, an imprint of the Random House Information Group), Harry’s latest book, is available at your favorite bookstore and via Harry’s Web site..

Harry L. Rinker welcomes questions from readers about collectibles, those mass-produced items from the 20th century. Selected queries will be answered on this site. Harry cannot provide personal answers. Send your questions to: Rinker on Collectibles, 5955 Mill Pond Court SE, Kentwood, MI 49512. You can e-mail your questions to harrylrinker [at] aol [dot] com. Only e-mails containing a full name and mailing address will be considered. Please indicate that these are questions for WorthPoint.

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Q & A with Harry Rinker: Yearbook Featuring Charlton Heston & Rock Hudson

Harry Rinker — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 19:56:48 +0000

QUESTION: I am seeking the value of a 1941 New Trier High School yearbook that contains Charlton Heston’s senior picture, along with his photograph as a member of the Dramatics Club and other senior activities, such as the Rifle Club. The same yearbook includes a sophomore class photo of R. Fitzgerald, who later became Rock Hudson. Unfortunately, Heston did not sign the yearbook. I have tried to find comparable values on the internet but have not been successful. Can you help?

– S.F., Chicago Area, Ill., via e-mail

ANSWER: Entertainment websites and periodicals love running “guess who” yearbook celebrity pictures. The collecting of celebrity yearbooks began in earnest in the 1990s. In 2002, Southeastern Antiquing and Collecting Magazine published Brandon Ross’s “Celebrity Yearbook Values.”

New Trier Township High School was founded in 1901. It has two campuses, one located in Winnetka (Ill.) and the other in New Trier West near Northfield (Ill.). In addition to Charlton Heston and Rock Hudson, other actors and actresses who graduated from New Trier include Ralph Bellamy, Bruce Dern, Virginia Madsen, Hugh O’Brien, Charlotte Ross, Hall Sparks and Rainn Wilson.

Michele Alice’s article “Collector’s Corner: Yearbooks as Collectibles” published in ecommerceBytes.com on June 15, 2006,] notes: “Recently, a Kurt Cobain (Nirvana) fan was willing to spend $661.55 for a 1980 (Montesano, Wash.) high school yearbook bearing Cobain’s image. And for $432.50, someone really wanted a 1941 New Trier (IL) Yearbook with photos of Rock Hudson and Charlton Heston. (All prices mentioned in this article were taken from online auctions completed between June 01 and June 22, 2006).”

I found a dealer listing a 1943 New Trier yearbook featuring an unsigned senior picture of R. Fitzgerald (Rock Hudson) for sale at $90. The picture was unsigned.

First, does a signature add value and, if so, how much? The answer is yes. Add an additional 25 to 35 percent, if the famous personality signed his photograph in his/her yearbook.

Second, time affects value. Interest in Charlton Heston and Rock Hudson memorabilia is declining with each passing year. The late 1990s and early 2000s were the peak years, as $432.50 is too high for a 2012 value. A realistic price is between $200 and $250.

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QUESTION: In the early 1940s, my father, a doctor, bought an Eversharp “Command Performance” pen and pencil set. The set remains in its period box. The pen and pencil are housed in individual leather cases. The box contains a folded “Guaranteed Forever” document and a price card that reads: “EVERSHARP / Command Performance (script lettering) / Fourteen Karat Gold Throughout / $125.00.” What is my set worth?

– F.B.K, Roanoke, Va.

ANSWER: Prior to 1940, Parker, Shaeffer and Wahl were among the largest fountain pen manufacturers in the United States. When Wahl experienced financial difficulties in 1940, the company reorganized as Eversharp, capitalizing on the sales strength of its Eversharp repeater pencil, introduced in 1936.

Realizing a new line of pens was necessary if Eversharp was to recapture market share, Eversharp hired industrial designer Henry Dreyfuss (1904-1972). Dreyfuss developed a Streamlined Modernist design that was a distinct departure from Wahl’s previous Art Deco designs.

Eversharp introduced Dreyfuss’s “Skyliner” design in the spring of 1941. The design captured the streamlined design associated with period aircraft. Initial advertising noted: “Magic Feed prevents ink flooding or leaking high in a plane . . . so of course at ground level too.” Design historians see linkages between Dreyfuss’s Skyliner design and his design for the New York Central 20th Century Limited locomotive.

Skyliner pens came in a wide variety of styles, most of which contain no markings. There were three basic models—Demi (Lady), Standard and Executive. All designs had a matching pencil. Pen and pencil set prices ranged from $3.50 (all plastic) to $125 (14 karat gold). A double checkmark on the clip signified an Eversharp lifetime warranty. Because of the Skyliner’s over-the-top clip design, it was a favorite among military users.

[TRIVIA QUIZ: The Skyliner design also worked well with another popular Dreyfuss-designed object. What was it?]

Although the Skyliner was the most popular pen sold in America in 1945, Eversharp decreased its Skyliner advertising in favor of the Fifth Avenue model and, after 1948, the Symphony model.

Introduced in the early 1940s, Eversharp’s Command Performance pen and the pen and pencil set were advertised as the “gift of a lifetime.” The model was made only in the Standard size. Although advertisements picture only a pen and pencil with a smooth body, collectors believe pens and pencils with engraved or machined pattern cases exist. The pen (Model 78SY) sold for $75 and the matching pencil (Model 178SY) for $50. Although expensive at the time, sales were brisk. Collectors classify the pen and pencil set as common.

[Author’s Aside: Eversharp also made a pen and pencil set featuring a solid cap and barrel in platinum. The set sold for $200 in 1941. Collectors considered it to be very scarce.]

David Nishimura’s Vintage Pens website lists a Command Performance “wartime lever-filler, 13.3 cm long, with matching 1.l mm injector pencil…” at $1,200, noting that the “Asking price is less than $100 over current gold value.” I found several internet sales for the pen alone with prices realized ranging between $300 and $600.

The pen and pencil set has multiple values in today’s marketplace. A Modernist collector with an emphasis on industrial designer pieces might pay between $700 and $900. Given the current melt value of gold, this price is considerably below the melt value found in the pen and pencil cases. While I cringe when I recommend melt value, it may be easier to dispose of the pen and pencil set in this fashion than taking the time and making the effort to find a collector who would pay top dollar.

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QUESTION: I have a copy of Volume No. 1 of “ELVIRA Mistress of the Dark” magazine issued by Marvel on Oct. 1, 1988. What is its value?

– T, Madisonburg, Pa.

ANSWER: The “Elvira, Mistress of the Dark” movie was directed by James Signorelli. Cassandra Peterson, who played Elvira, John Paragon and Sam Egan wrote the script. The movie was released on Sept. 30, 1988. In 1989, Peterson received a nomination for a Razzie as Worst Actress, but lost to Liza Minnelli for roles in “Arthur 2: On the Rocks” and “Rent-A-Cop.”

Peterson (born Sept. 17, 1951) began her role as Elvira on Los Angeles’s KHJ as host of “Movie Macabre” in 1981. Her sexy/punk vampire look featured a tight-fitting, low-cut black grown that showed her ample cleavage, heavily-applied pancake-horror makeup and a towering black beehive wig. Her movie introductions include risqué double entendres.

Elvira became a frequent guest on “The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson.” She also was featured in television advertisements for Coors-Light Beer and Mug Root Beer. TV guest appearances included “CHiPs” and “Fantasy Island.” In 1982, Knott’s Theme Park hired Elvira to host its annual Halloween Haunt.

Do not confuse the comic book promoting the movie with the comic book series from DC Comics, Eclipse Comics and Claypool Comics. The Eclipse/Claypool series consists of 166 issues.

Copies of the movie promotion comic are common. I found numerous sale listings on the Internet with prices at or below $10.

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QUESTION: I have a VHS Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles tape that was a 1990s Burger King premium. Does it have any value?

– J, Reading, Pa.

ANSWER: The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles arrived on the scene in 1984 in a comic book format published by Mirage Studios of Dover, N.H. The four teenage anthropomorphic turtles, trained by an anthropomorphic rat sensei in ninjutsu, evolved from the imagination of Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird.

In 1986, Dark Horse miniatures produced a set of 15mm lead figures. Playmates Toys, Inc., followed with a line of action figures a years later. Playmates produced a mini-series to promote its toy line. After repeating the series three times with limited success, Group W provided funding to create additional episodes. CBS picked up the show. By the late 1980s, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles craze was in full swing. Turtles images were everywhere, from breakfast cereal and PEZ containers to cameras and video games.

In 1990, Burger King offered four VHS Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle videos as promotional giveaways through its Kids’ Club: “April Foolish,” “Invasion of the Turtle Snatchers,” “The Great Boldini,” and “Sky Turtles.” Although some internet sellers are asking as high as $13 plus shipping, the sell-through average on eBay is between $3 and $4, with shipping ranging from $2.50 to $4. The survival rate for all four videos is high.

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TRIVIA QUIZ ANSWER: In 1937, Dreyfuss designed the rotary telephone. The blunt end of the Skyliner pen doubled as a telephone dialer.

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Rinker Enterprises and Harry L. Rinker are on the Internet. Check out Harry’s Web site.

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WorthPoint Columnist Harry Rinker Appointed to Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee

WorthPoint Staff — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 20:20:04 +0000

Harry Rinker’s three-year term on the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee will recommend stamp subjects that are contemporary, timely and relevant, while at the same time representative of the cultural diversity that is the United States to the U.S. Postmaster General.

Harry L. Rinker, who writes the syndicated “Rinker on Collectibles” column published on WorthPoint, has been appointed a member of the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee (CSAC) by U.S. Postmaster General Patrick R. Donahoe.

The three-year term begins this month and will continue through the end of December 2014. Rinker is one of five new members joining the committee.

CSAC is a 15-member committee that recommends to the Postmaster General stamp subjects that are contemporary, timely and relevant, while at the same time representative of the cultural diversity that is the United States.

“I had the privilege of addressing CSAC about collecting trends twice in the past and am honored to have been appointed a voting member of the Committee,” said Rinker, whose CSAC selection was based upon his ability to identify and interpret developments within the national and global collecting field.

As a member of CSAC, Rinker will attend four committee meetings per year. His first CSAC meeting is scheduled for Jan. 19-20 at the headquarters of the United States Postal Service in Washington, D.C. Between meetings, he will work with the professional staff of the Stamp Development Division and CSAC members on subject selection and the promotion of stamp collecting.

Rinker is president of Harry L. Rinker, LLC, doing business as Rinker Consulting, a firm specializing in providing appraisal, consulting, editorial, educational, media, personal appearance, research, and writing services for the antiques and collectibles community. Hi weekly “Rinker on Collectibles” column, recently celebrated its 25th anniversary.

Rinker hosted 78 half-hour episodes of “Collector Inspector,” a weekly show on Home & Garden Television, devoted to seeking out antiques and collectibles in private homes. He also appeared in two HGTV specials—“Endless Yard Sale” (2003) and “Collectibles: Coast to Coast” (2004). “Whatcha Got?” his syndicated radio call-in show, first aired in March 2006.

Rinker is a prolific antiques and collectibles writer who has authored, co-authored, or edited more than 25 titles. “Guide to Toy Collecting” (for the Smithsonian), published by Collins in March 2008, is his latest title.

His 12-year career as a museum professional began as director of archival research for Historic Bethlehem and culminated as executive director of the Montgomery County (PA) Federation of Historical Societies. He has a B.A. from Lehigh University, an M.A. from Washington University in St. Louis, and an M.F.A in Creative and Professional Writing from Western Connecticut State University. He is an adjunct professor in the Department of English and Communications at Davenport University, Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Harry and his wife, Dr. Linda K. Rinker, Vice President of Academic Affairs and Provost at Davenport University, live in Kentwood, Michigan.

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Q & A with Harry Rinker: Clinchfield Pottery Plate, Lafayette Rittgers Figurines

Harry Rinker — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 20:02:27 +0000

QUESTION: I am trying to identify an earthenware dinner plate that belongs to a cousin. The body has a white glaze. There is a medallion at 12 o’clock on the flat front border that features a head-and-shoulder portrait of a pretty lady inside a horseshoe that is flanked on each site by a swastika and floral arrangement. The backstamp consists of a crown on top of a circle. Within the border inside the circle is: “CLINCHFIELD / CHINA.” “S. P. I.” is in the center of the circle. Beneath the mark is the number “4-26.” Can you help?

– S.B., via e-mail

ANSWER: The detailed images of the medallion and mark attached to your e-mail were helpful in dating and identifying the maker of your plate.

The woman’s image and the surrounding presentation are typical of images used on ceramics in the late 1910s and early 1920s. The swastika, an equilateral cross whose arms are bent at right angles in either a clockwise or counter clockwise motion, is a decorative symbol that dates back to antiquity. The word’s origin is suastika, a Sanskrit word associated with any lucky or auspicious object. Cultures as diverse as Buddhism, Greco-Roman, Hinduism, Native American, and Slavic used the symbol.

[Author’s Aside: The swastika is found in right-facing (counterclockwise) and left facing form (clockwise motion). The example on the plate is right-facing, the same image that eventually become the symbol for the National Socialist German Workers Party (NSDAP) from the 1920s through 1945. Although the two images are identical, there is no association between them. The designer of the medallion on the plate selected the swastika for its “good luck” connotation in support of the horseshoe surrounding the pretty lady.]

In the middle of the 1910s, the Clinchfield, Carolina and Ohio Railroad sought to encourage new industry along its line. E. J. Owen, formerly associated with the East End Pottery in East Liverpool, Ohio, Owen China Company in Minerva, Ohio, and Paden City Pottery, founded Clichfield Pottery in Erwin, Tenn., in 1917. The first products were dinnerware, often featuring gold trim and applied decals.

In 1920, Clinchfield Pottery was incorporated as Southern Potteries Incorporated (S.P.I.). From 1917 until 1938, most pieces were marked with the crown Clinchfield China mark. A limited number, approximately 15, dinnerware blanks were utilized to produce pieces, variety created by changing the applied decal or trim. The company also produced a large number of advertising ceramics, such as calendar plates during this period. The number “4-26” most likely indicates the mold blank (4) and the decal number (26).

Collectors for Clinchield period Southern Pottery pieces number fewer than 50, perhaps even 25. Your plate has more curiosity than dollar value. Its secondary market value is less than $5.

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QUESTION: I have nine, 1940s Lafayette Rittgers figures that include two baseball players and an umpire, two football players, a lady and male bowler, and a boxer and referee. How much are they worth?

– S.P., Phoenix, Ariz., via e-mail

ANSWER: Lafayette (Fay) L. Rittgers (April 15, 1904-Feb. 14, 1984) grew up in Oklahoma City. Upon finishing high school, he moved to Denver, where he met and married Helen in May 1929. While in Denver, he was employed as a window decorator at the John A. Brown Department Store. In 1937, Lafayette and Helen moved to Chicago. Lafayette enhanced his sculpting skills by attending art school. Eventually, he established his own studio.

Rittgers introduced his first commercial novelty figurines in 1939: a standup and tied-up wrestler. An umpire with a chest protector appeared in 1940. The baseball player, another wrestler, football player and bowlers (male and female) appeared in 1941. Sports series were sold in sets of two or three, depending on the grouping, wholesaling for $2 and retailing between $3 and $5.

By 1941, Rittgers employed six individuals to produce and paint his humorous figures. In 1943, he moved his novelty business from his 51st and Harper Avenue location to a storefront building near 56th and Harper. A year later the company moved to 5628 South Lake Park Ave.

Rittgers sold his novelties through Suttle and Asmus, a wholesale distributor who displayed at gift shows throughout the Midwest. While Rittgers Novelties did not issue catalogs, examples of Suttle and Asmus catalogs featuring Rittgers pieces survive.

Rittgers signed and copyrighted his work. Although Rittgers ended his novelty business in 1956, he continued to sculpt models on a commission basis for advertising and other purposes. Rittgers figures appeared in a series of 1950 Buick advertisements.

The label on the bottom of a figure dates it. Two labels were used from 1941 to 1945: (1) “Original Humor by / RITTGERS / Copyrighted by Lafayette L. Rittgers / CHICAGO” and (2) “Distributed by / SUTTLE & ASMUS / CHICAGO, ILL.” The label “DISTRIBUTED / Exclusively by / SUTTLE and RITTGERS Inc. / Evanston, Illinois” dates from the mid-1940s through the early 1950s. “Copyright by / LAFAYETTE LASO RITTGERS / CHICAGO 37, ILL.” is the last label used.

The difficulty in providing a value for your figurines is that variations abound. Molds were changed slightly. Decorators used various paint schemes. Some baseball players and other sports figures feature specific team or company logos on their uniforms.

Charlie Bulko’s “Collecting Rittgers: The Complete Collector’s Guide,” published by the author in 2011 (ordering information available by e-mailing cbulko [at] excite [dot] com) contains a detailed history of Rittgers Novelties and a desirability scale. With 10 indicating most desirable and 1 least desirable, your sports sets are in the 1 to 2 range.

Common baseball, wrestling and bowling sets, assuming very good or better condition, sell between $175 and $225 at auction. Add another $50 for the football set. Individual figures begin around $65 and go up in value depending on scarcity. Buy It Now prices on eBay tend to be higher. Figurines with damage of any kind are tough sells.

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QUESTION: I have a vintage Santa with a label reading “Rushton Star Creation” on one side and “The Rushton Company / Atlanta, Ga. / 1” on the other. Santa is 18 inches tall and a Coca Cola collectible. He has a Coke bottle under one hand. The bottle is dark molded with the letters “Coca Cola” beneath which is “Trademark registered.” The bottle cap reads: “Drink / Coca Cola / Reg. US Pat. Off.” His face and hands are molded plastic. His eyes are brown. His belt is black plastic. His boots are black vinyl and not molded. The boots have white stitching around the sole. The examples I have found on the internet have molded white or black boots. Listings indicate these were made in the late 1950s. I believe my Santa dates back to the 1940s. Can you help me date it?

– G.S., Mars Hill, N.C., via e-mail

ANSWER: Yes, your Santa dates from 1957. The Rushton Coca-Cola Santa was introduced in that year to market Coca-Cola during the holiday season. The company did not exist in the 1940s. The 1957 selling price was $3.98. The labels you describe above were attached to the soles of the feet.

There are several listings for Rushton Coca-Cola Santas with “stitched vinyl boots,” which indicate yours as an early version of the doll. There are three sizes—14, 15 and 16 inches. How precisely did you measure your doll? In your defense, I did find an 18-inch Rushton Star Creation Santa online.

The period bottle is a value-added feature. Most examples listed either are missing the bottle or are being sold with a replica bottle.

For more information about the history of Rushton Company here.

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QUESTION: I have a “BURRY’S 10 CENTS OFF COUPON FOR PEPSI COLA” with an expiration date of December 31, 1961. I found the coupon in the bottom of a friend’s kitchen cabinet during remolding. The coupon was to be mailed to the Burry Biscuit Corporation of Elizabeth, New Jersey. Does the coupon have any value in today’s marketplace?

– M.L., Florida, via e-mail

ANSWER: The Burry Biscuit Company, Elizabeth, N.J., traced its history back to 1888. In 1959, it was a division of Quaker Oats, which subsequently sold off Burry in the early 1980s. In 2003, Burry was part of Interbake Food, Inc., which canceled the Burry trademark in 2005. Burry’s former Elizabeth, N.J. factory suffered a major fire on Dec. 22, 2011.

Burry produced a variety of cookies in the 1960s, including Gauchos (a peanut butter-cream filling inside an oatmeal shell), fudge-filled shortcake, and pecan penuche. Burry also made Girl Scout cookies in the 1930s and possibly later.

Your coupon has no redeemable value and very little collector value. Alas, society has long passed the point where a 10-cent rebate is viewed as an incentive. A Pepsi collector might pay $1 to $2 based more on novelty than collectible value, but do not hold your breath.

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Rinker Enterprises and Harry L. Rinker are on the Internet. Check out Harry’s Web site..

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Q & A with Harry Rinker: Ray Harryhausen Animation, Vietnamese Bank Notes & More

Harry Rinker — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 17:25:13 +0000

QUESTION: I was born in 1944. During my elementary school years, between 1950 and 1956, we watched film cartoons shown on an 8mm or 16mm projector. One I remember was about a man who loved gold, somehow managed to turn his daughter into gold, and then gave up all his gold to bring his daughter back to life. The cartoons contained stop motion animatronics. I have spent hours on the internet trying to locate information about this film. Can you shed any light on it?

– S.S., Boerne, Texas, via e-mail

ANSWER: The film is a theatrical cartoon entitled “The Story of King Midas.” It was produced and directed by Ray Harryhausen, written by Charlotte Knight and distributed by Phoenix, BFA Films. It was first released around 1953. The run time is 10 minutes and eight seconds. The two characters in the film are King Midas and his daughter.

The story of King Midas dates back to Greek mythology. King Midas was an actual person, although historians disagree about his personal history. In one account, Midas, son of King Gordias and his goddess consort Cybele, was king of Perssinus, a city of Phrygia. Herodotus, a Greek historian, talks of the ancient kings of Macedon and King Midas’s garden of roses on the slopes of Mount Bermion.

Ovid introduced the King Midas myth in his “Metamorphoses.” Silenius, a satyr, is discovered asleep in King Midas’s rose garden. After discovering Silenius, King Midas entertained him for 10 days and nights. On the eleventh day, Silenius granted King Midas a wish. King Midas asked that everything he touched turn to gold. Unable to eat (his food turned to gold), King Midas faced starvation. He prayed to Dionysus, who instructed him to wash in the river Pactolus. When Midas did, the power to create gold transferred from Midas’s body to the river’s sands. Midas mined the sands and became a rich king.

Raymond Frederick Harryhausen, born June 19, 1920, created Dynamation, stop-motion model animation. Willis O’Brien, the model animator for “King Kong,” inspired Harryhausen. In many Harryhausen films, the animation interacts with live action.

Harryhausen began his film career working on Paramount’s George Pal’s Puppetoon shorts. During World War II, he was part of the Army Motion Picture Unit. Harryhausen’s film credits include “King Kong” (1952 release), “The Monster from Beneath the Sea,” “The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms,” “The 7th Voyage of Sinbad” and “Clash of the Titans.”

Harryhausen produced five stop-motion cartoons—“The Storybook Review” (1946), “The Story of Little Red Riding Hood” (1949), “Hansel and Gretel” (1951), “The Story of Rapunzel” (1951) and “The Story of King Midas” (1953). Harryhausen hoped to make 15 to 20 fairy tale cartoons. He stopped the project while making “The Tortoise and the Hare” because of the time required to make each cartoon and a desire to return to feature films.

“The Story of King Midas” is available here YouTube and several other internet sites free of charge. Anyone wishing to view it can easily do so. As a result, the demand for older film versions has declined significantly. A viewable film copy is valued at under $40.00.

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QUESTION: My husband has two bills that he acquired in Cambodia. The first is a Viet-Nam 10 Dong note, the second is a “Une Plastre” Institut D’Emission Des Estas du Cambodge du Laos et du Vietnam. Do they have any value?

– T.M., Solomon, Ariz.

ANSWER: The Institut d’Emission des Etats Du Cambodge du Laoa et du Vietnam issued notes in piaster and dong between 1953 and May 2, 1978. The first dong series was 1953 to 1975. The second dong series was released from 1976 to May 1978. The notes were official currency in sections of Vietnam not controlled by Communist forces. Two other branches also issued banknotes—the riel in Cambodia and the kip in Laos. Beginning in 1955, the National Bank of Vietnam printed its version of dong notes. The Ngan-Hang note is a Bank of Vietnam issue.

The dong divides into 100 xu (also written as su). Coins were available in 10, 20 and 50 su and 1, 10, 20 and 50 dong. The Socialist Republic of Vietnam continues to use the dong as its national currency.

Vietnam experienced inflation in the early 1970s. Eventually, 1,000, 5,000 and 10,000 dong notes were introduced.

American G.I.s and civilians serving in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam frequently returned home with banknote examples. The notes had little value.

The secondary market is flooded. Most examples sell between 50 cents and $3, especially any note that has been circulated (used as currency as opposed to crisp and clean). Your notes have more sentimental than monetary value.

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QUESTION: I have a set of three stoneware crocks, the largest of which is 7 inches in diameter and 7 inches high. They are marked on the bottom: “Roseville Spongeware / Workshop of Gerald Henn.” What is the set’s value?

– R, New Rochelle, Ill.

ANSWER: Your spongeware crocks are modern reproductions. A web search of “Gerald Henn+Roseville” produced a list of dozens of websites offering Henn pottery for sale but no clear information as to who is the “real” Gerald Henn. Are the Henn Workshops, the workshops of Gerald E. Henn, and Gerald Henn one in the same or two or three separate entities?

Henn Workshops is a family-owned business located in Warren, Ohio. The company specializes in handcrafted accessories, bakeware, dinnerware, serving pieces and home furnishings. Henn Workshops maintains a Museum Store at 8292 Tod Avenue, Lordstown, Ohio.

According to the Pottery Consultant website, The Workshops of Gerald E. Henn Pottery is no longer making pottery. Another website indicates that Henn ceased operation as of September 2009. Several websites list the address of the Workshops of Gerald E. Henn Pottery as 3672 Silliman Street, New Waterford, OH 44445.

Conflicting information is one of the reasons why I love the internet. No one polices the information. Anyone can post anything. Misinformation is the order of the day unless skepticism reigns regarding all information.

The one safe thing that can be said is that whoever made Henn pottery is no longer making it. Dealers with large inventories tout that now is the time to complete collections or patterns while supplies exist. Buyers beware. Take time to comparison shop. Many sellers have raised the retail price to reflect what they consider to be marketplace scarcity.

Rinker’s Thirty Year Rule—for the first 30 years of anything’s life, all its value is speculative—applies. Collectors and others are speculating. This is the time to sell not buy. While some individuals view Henn pottery as folk art revival, it is commercial and not folk art reproduction. It has not stood the test of time required by the secondary market. After reviewing the Henn pottery products offered online, my prediction is that the Henn collecting craze will run its course in 10 to 15 years, after which time people desiring to own examples will be able to buy Henn pottery at pennies on the 2012 dollar.

Supporting this point of view is the wide disparity of pricing I found among sellers offering the three-piece spongeware canister set. An eBay seller has a “Buy It Now” price of $229. Shipping is free, which it well should be for any fool willing to pay this price. A rose spongeware canister set is listed with an opening bid of $60 but has failed to find a bidder.

WorthPoint.com lists a blue spongeware set that sold on eBay for $47.01 in October 2007 and another blue set that sold in January 2008 for $203.83. This is a perfect example of how “who is at the auction” impacts price. Beware of any object with a three- to four-times price swing.

The quick sale value of your thee-piece, Henn blue spongeware canister set is around $125. However, expect the value to fluctuate as much as $75 in either direction depending on circumstance. The true secondary market value of your Henn canister set will not be established until 2030.

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– E.P., Hanover, Wis.

ANSWER: Little is known about Henry Pember Smith (1854-1907). The assumption is that he was self-taught. He first exhibited at the National Academy of Design in 1877. He also showed his work at the Art Institute in Chicago, the Boston Art Club, the Brooklyn Art Club, and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art.

“Blossom Time” featuring a genre scene of a cottage in a rural landscape was typical of household prints used for display, on calendars and the surface of jigsaw puzzles between 1905 and the late 1920s. The copyright indicates the print was published after Smith’s death.

Your print’s principal value is decorative and between $45 and $60.

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Q & A with Harry Rinker: Coney Island ‘Cyclone’ Ticket Booth, Christmas Seal Collection

Harry Rinker — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 19:19:50 +0000

QUESTION: A friend and I recently started to attend storage auctions. We paid $50 for the first locker we bought. Inside, in a dark, dim corner, we found the original Coney Island Cyclone roller coaster ticket booth. The front of the booth reads “RIDE THE / WORLD FAMOUS / ROLLERCOASTER / THE/ CYCLONE / 25.” We think this booth is from 1927, when the ride was first introduced. The booth appears to have served time as a hostess podium at a restaurant. A paper indicating how to seat customers is attached to the top. Do you have any idea how much this is worth?

– B.C., N.J., via e-mail

ANSWER: The Cyclone was the third of three roller coasters built on Coney Island in the 1920s: Thunderbolt (1925), Tornado (1926), and Cyclone (opened June 26, 1927). Jack and Irving Rosenthal hired Vernan Keenan to design a roller coaster to be built at the intersection of Surf Avenue and West 10th Street, the site of the Switchback Railroad, America’s first roller coaster. When the Cyclone opened in 1927, the admission price was 25 cents.

This is the good news. Alas, there is bad news. “If it looks new, assume it is new” is one of my 10 basic authenticating rules. The photograph attached to your e-mail suggests the podium is more recent than you suspect. Much of the paint looks new.

The lettering font and design scheme is late 1920s, but a later application. An argument that the new paint is a repaint over the period lettering can be made. My observations suggest otherwise.

We agree on one thing; the object is a hostess booth from a restaurant. However, it is a later copycat (not an exact copy), possibly even a fantasy piece. I favor fantasy piece because the form of the booth is closer to that of a sideshow barker’s podium than that used by individuals selling ride tickets. You have the advantage of seeing the back side and top of the podium. No images of these views were attached to your e-mail. The aging of the wood will be the dating key.

If the probability is high that this is the first ticket podium for the Cyclone, it needs major restoration to remove later paint so that the period paint is exposed. Use a painting conservator, not a furniture restorer. The cost could exceed $1,000, perhaps more than the restored ticket podium will be worth.

If the ticket podium is a copycat or fantasy piece, it still has decorator and conversation value. You should be able to triple and possibly quadruple the price you paid for the locker.

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QUESTION: I have a collection of Red Cross Christmas Seal Stamps that includes examples from the years 1908 to 1969. What is the collection worth?

– J.K., Timberlake, Ohio, via e-mail

ANSWER: As the 20th century dawned, tuberculosis was a dreaded disease, especially because of its cruel effect on children. Einar Holboll, a Danish postal clerk, is credited with originating the concept of adding a charitable stamp, the proceeds designed to aid tuberculosis victims, to holiday mail. The King of Denmark, Christian IX, and the Danish postmaster approved the plan. Denmark issued the first Christmas Seal, bearing a likeness of the Danish Queen Louise of Hesse-Kassel, in 1904. Seven years later, funds generated from Christmas Seal sales funded the building of a sanatorium for tuberculosis patients in Kolding.

The Christmas Seal idea spread. Sweden and Iceland were the first countries to copy Denmark’s example. The first American Christmas Seal was issued in 1907. Emily Bissell, a Red Cross volunteer and veteran fund raiser, developed a Christmas Seal sold in U.S. Post Offices throughout Delaware for one penny. Bissell’s goal was to raise $300 to save a small Delaware sanatorium. With the help of an endorsement by President Theodore Roosevelt, Bissel raised 10 times her goal.

The American Red Cross and the National Association for the Study and Prevention of Tuberculosis (NASPT) took the program national in 1908. The American Red Cross remained affiliated with the Christmas Seal effort until 1920, when NASPT assumed exclusive control. The NASPT went through numerous name changes, eventually evolving into the American Lung Association.

What appears on the surface to be a simple collecting category is actually rather complex. First, variations of the Red Cross/NASTP annual seal were issued. Second, the design spread across several seals in some years. For example, a pair of seals is required for the complete 1936 design and a block of four seals for the 1954 design. Third, state and local clubs issued their own versions of Christmas Seals.

Christmas Seal collectors focus on American, as well as foreign, issues. Serious collectors include progressive color proofs, freaks (misperforated seals, out-of-color registration and gum on the wrong side) and errors in their collections.

The Christmas Seal & Charity Stamp Society, founded in 1931, “was created to promote and improve the hobby in various way: members exhibiting their collections, primarily at stamp shows, and sharing articles and information through our journal, Seal News, and by writing and editing catalogs for sale, and creating free Christmas Seal albums on computer CD. Members meet at national and international stamps shows where they put our hobby and publications on display and give away Christmas Seals in society booths.” The CS&CSS also publishes “Green’s Catalog of Tuberculosis Seals of the World.”

Valuing your 1908-to-1969 collection of American Christmas Seals is difficult. Although you attached a photograph of part of the collection to your e-mail, additional information is needed. First, how are the stamps attached to the display card? Value differs for a hinged versus unhinged example. If glued to the display card, value is seriously affected.

Variations impact value. The 1908 Christmas seal was issued in two variations, one with a small “C” and square frame corners and a second with a large “C” and round frame corners. Each of these two variations is found in 12- and 14-perforation sides and with smooth and grilled gum backs.

Value resides primarily in the earliest Christmas seals; those issued during the first 10 years of the program. An unhinged, 1908 type-1 example is valued between $35 and $45. A 1913 type 1 Christmas seal variation books in at close to $1,000. Post-1945 Christmas Seals sell for less than one dollar, most for less than a quarter. The low cost to acquire examples is the prime reason collectors are attracted to this philatelic subcategory.

Today, my advice to those seeking value for a collection is to think conservatively. Does your collection of Christmas Seals have a retail value around $100? This probability is high. Even $150 may be the answer. Only unbridled optimism and luck will raise the number to $200, but miracles happen.

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QUESTION: I have an unused 1976 Bicentennial HO toy train set in its period box. What is its value?

– P., Reading, Pa.

ANSWER: A Google search led me to the “Tyco Brown Box Era HO-Scale Trains Resource online.A click on “Spirit of ‘76” took me to a homepage devoted to Tyco’s Bicentennial red, white, and blue train series. The information begins: “TYCO began celebrating America’s 200th Anniversary with its first red-white-blue bicentennial offerings in the 1974-75 catalog. By 1976, TYCO had three diesel locomotives, a steam engine, passenger cars, freight cars, and a caboose available.” Since your question lacked specifics, I debated how to proceed.

Then I read a note at the bottom of the home page: “It seems to many that any and all red white and blue trains produced must be TYCO. TYCO does appear to be very much associated with the amazing number of bicentennial HO-scale trains made in the 1970s. However, TYCO was only one of many companies to dress models in patriotic colors. The likes of AHM, Athearn, Bachmann, Life-Like, Lionel-HO, Model Power, and others all produced items with the 1776 theme. As a good rule to follow, TYCO nearly always had either ‘TYCO-MANTUA” or “TYCO” on the bottom of its products. For example, the fuel tank bottom of a TYCO diesel should have “TYCO Hong Kong” on it in raised plastic letters.”

Not wishing to end on an “I cannot help you” note, I conducted several internet and eBay searches for 1976 Bicentennial trains set. Full boxed sets typically sell in the $45 to $60 range. This value assumes that the locomotive, rolling stock, track, transformer and all supporting documentation are present.

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QUESTION: I have a collectors’ plate featuring a blue decal of the Munich skyline with St. Michael’s church in the center above the five Olympic rings over a cluster of oak leaves. The border reads: “OLYMPIADE / 1972/ MÜNCHEN.” The back is marked: “PMA / Bavaria / Perger Co./ Germany.” What is it worth?

– E.P., Hanover, Wis.

ANSWER: More than a dozen companies, including Bing and Grondahl, issued collector edition plates honoring the 1972 summer Olympics held in Munich. The complete collecting unit consists of the plate, the box in which it came, and all literature that was found in the box.

The collectors/limited edition plate craze was at its peak in the early 1970s. Collectors bought and hoarded large quantities for speculative purposes. The secondary resale market collapsed in the late 1980s.

If you only own the plate and not the box and supporting literature, your plate has a value between $8 and $10. Its Olympic theme does not enhance its value. The box and literature add another $4 to $5.

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Rinker Enterprises and Harry L. Rinker are on the Internet. Check out Harry’s Web site..

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Q & A with Harry Rinker: Model Eskimo Hunter and Sealskin Kayak

Harry Rinker — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 16:00:22 +0000

QUESTION: In the process of cleaning out a house, I found a model of a sealskin kayak that measures 30 inches in length. A figure of a hunter sits in the kayak. There also are several ivory and wooden accessories. A wooden stand accompanies the model. I estimate the model dates from the mid-20th century or earlier. What is its value?

– D, Morgantown, Pa.

ANSWER: Retired Eskimo hunters build kayaks on a commission basis. The builder has to consider a number of physical characteristics of the owner including distance from fingertip to fingertip of his outstretched arms, height, length of each arm, and weight. The kayak had bearded sealskin stretched over a wooden frame and was waterproofed using caribou or seal oil.

An Internet search located several auction results for Eskimo seal skin model kayaks. The description for Lot 4 in the Sept. 16, 2006 Cowan’s American Indian Arts Auction reads: “Eskimo Sealskin Model Kayak with hand-carved wooden hunter who wears a cotton coat. Kayak laden with ivory and wood fishing accoutrements: trap, two harpoons, ice pick, and ore. With wooden stand, length 16.25”. Condition report: excellent.” The lot sold for $850. A year earlier, an 18.5 in. model sold for $920. Cowan’s March 26, 2010 auction included: “Eskimo doll and sealskin kayak . . . doll with carved wooden face and inked features, dressed in fur parka and with a wooden bow, height 8.5 in; AND a model sealskin kayak with carved wooden oar, length 11.5 in., second quarter of 20th century.” The lot passed at $650.

Christie’s Jan. 18, 2011, Native American Auction included an “Inuit Model Kayak, Norton Sound type, finely crafted with a single piece seal skin wrapped over a wood frame, the top edges sewn together at the front and back with woven grass mat floor. Accessories lashed to the kayak with leather thong include four harpoons with barbed ivory tips tied on with sinew, a paddle and two snowshoes made of wood and sinew. 36 ½ x 6 x 4 ½ in.” Although no date was provided, the photograph suggests the kayak was modeled in the early 20th century. The kayak sold for $3,000.

The Smithsonian Institution’s Alaska Native Collections in the National Museum of Natural History includes an 1892, approx. 4 in. “model of a Norton Sound kayak includes a full set of tools and weapons, all held on deck by sealskin cords. A seal dart rests on top of a float board, attached by a coiled line; the board was designed to drag behind a wounded seal, hindering its escape. A gaff hook and several throwing and thrusting harpoons are shown within reach of the boat’s cockpit, and a spare paddle is carried on the back. Wooden frames with seal-thong lashings gave kayaks great flexibility and strength to withstand rough water.”

Eskimo model sealskin kayaks with hunting accessories and often a hunter were made as souvenirs for sale to sailors and tourists from the late-19th century to mid-20th century. While most examples I found originated along the Pacific Northwest Coast, I did find one example from the 1930s attributed to a source in Greenland. Lengths varied from 14 to 36 inches.

I recommend you take photographs of your model sealskin kayak with hunter and accessories and send them to the Museum of Anthropology, University of British Columbia, located in Vancouver, B.C. Ask if a staff member can identify the time period, location and possible maker of your model.

Value in the antiques and collectibles field is information driven—the more that is known about an object, the greater its perceived value. Based on auction results, your model’s base value is between $1,000 and $1,250. If it should prove to be from the early 20th century, as opposed to the second quarter of the 20th century, the value increases. Additional value add-ons are the kayak being a Norton Sound model, a full set of accoutrements accompanying the model and more detailed information about origin.

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QUESTION: I have a head-and-shoulder print of President Theodore Roosevelt. It is marked “Moffett Studio, Chicago” on the front and Lyday Photo Co. #73033 on the back. The print is in a simple molded frame which measures 16 inches by 20 inches. I did some research but found little. I am interested in selling the print, but obviously do not want to over or under price it. Any assistance you could provide would be greatly appreciated.

– J.C., via e-mail

ANSWER: Real estate developer Evan Albert Evans and photographer George Moffett founded Moffet Studio in 1905. Evans handled the day to day business matters such as advertising and billing while Moffett did the photography. Moffet Studio was headquartered at 57 East Congress Street, a property owned by Evans.

Initially, Moffett Studio sold pictures of its prominent clients to newspapers and periodicals. In 1907, Evans changed the business model and provided them for free. Moffett and George O. Hinchliffe, his colleague, quickly gained a reputation for picturing clients in fashionable settings.

In 1912, Moffett Studios obtained the exclusive rights to the 1912 Republican Convention held Chicago. The 1912 Republican Convention pitted William Howard Taft, the sitting president, against Theodore Roosevelt. Although Roosevelt won nine out of 12 state primaries (Taft won one and Robert M. LaFollette won two), Taft controlled the Republican National Committee. The Republican National Committee awarded 235 contested delegates to Taft and only 19 to Roosevelt. Roosevelt left the party and ran as the candidate of the Progressive Party. This split the Republican vote and led to the election of Woodrow Wilson.

It is possible that the Moffett Studio Theodore Roosevelt head-and-shoulder portrait that you own might have been taken during the 1912 Republican Convention. However, Moffett Studio had a New York location. A 1910 Theodore Roosevelt three-quarter length photograph done at the New York studio also was a popular print image. Since Roosevelt is wearing a different tie in your photograph, it is unlikely the two images were taken at the same time.

J. H. Lyday Photograuvre Co., located in the Hoffman Building at 2539 Woodward Ave., in Detroit, was a publisher of: “Fine Art Pictures, Reproductions of Old and Modern Masters.” Simply put, Lyday was a stock house selling photograph images for display.

The demand for large wall photographs of Theodore Roosevelt is limited. Modern reproductions are available for less than $50. Ease of selling depends on how much you ask. You will sell your photograph quickly if you price it between $10 and $15. It will be a harder seller between $20 and $25. Priced over $35, you most likely will own it well into the future.

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QUESTION: I have a tricycle made by Midwest Industries in Willard, Ohio. I believe it dates from the 1950s. The paint scheme is red and white (white handle bar, seat, front end of frame and wheel rims). The handlebar resembles the prototype 1950s flying wing aircraft. What is its value?

– J.S., Adamstown, Pa., via e-mail

ANSWER: After evaluating the four pictures attached to your e-mail, I concluded the condition of your tricycle is between very good and fine. While used, the child who owned it took very good care of it.

The website Tricycle Fetish claims it is “the site for everything tricycle.” It features a homepage for Midwest Industries, which includes images of three decal headbadges, one of which matches the headbadge on your tricycle, and photographs of eight tricycles, none of which match the one that you own and all of which have wire spoke wheels as opposed to the solid disk wheels on your tricycle. Although the company is still in business, Midwest appears to have made tricycles from the early 1950s through the early 1960s.

Classic Toy Museum contains an advertisement for your tricycle from a 1956 toy catalog. The description reads: “Double bar-type strong steel tubing. Streamlined steel steep plate. Disc wheels with rubber tires. Adjustable body-shaped saddle. Rubber pedals. Heavy stamped steel fork. Stamped and formed handlebar with rubber grips. Red and white baked enamel finish. Front wheel 8 ½”. Rear wheel 5”. Rubber tire ½”….Retail: $5.75.” $5.75 was a high-ticket price in 1956.

WorthPoint lists a vintage 1960s red Midwest tricycle that sold on eBay on July 3, 2009, for $34.99. This example has wire spoke wheels. I found additional Internet auction listings for Midwest tricycles in the $18 to $35 range.

The “streamline” design and condition of your tricycle, which requires little to no restoration, makes it more desirable to collectors and individuals wishing to use it as a display/conversation piece. The secondary market value is between $50 and $65.

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QUESTION: I collect Department 56 houses for enjoyment and not for value. I cannot understand the big price differences I am finding between The Greenbook Guide to Department 56 Villages and prices on eBay. Many of the eBay prices are below the original retail price. How can the guide book be so far from reality?

– J.K., Timberlake, Ohio, via e-mail

ANSWER: When using any price guide, it is important to check the publication date. The Greenbook Guide to Department 56 Villages is out of print. The last edition I found was printed in 2005. It has been replaced by Village D-tails, a publication from the periodical Village D-lights. A caveat is necessary. When I tried clicking on the link to order the book on the URL http://www.terisd56.com/dept56-villagedtails.htm, I received a site under construction message.

Specialized price guides often are authored by individuals (usually dealers), collectors’ clubs, manufacturers and others whose goal is to support unrealistic secondary market prices to ensure the continuing sale of new at full retail and discontinued merchandise at inflated prices. All prices guides need to be field checked.

EBay sets the secondary market for Dept. 56 and a wide range of other collector edition materials. A collector edition price guide that does not reflect eBay pricing is worthless.

Retail pricing includes the profit made by the manufacturer, wholesaler, and merchant; in most cases 75 to 80 percent of the full retail price. When an object leaves the store, these profits must be deducted to determine the starting secondary market value. When secondary market value exceeds retail, especially in the first 30 years of the object’s life, the value is speculative.

Waiting until a contemporary collection edition enters the market is an ideal way to save money. Two to three for the initial price of one is the standard ratio. When the secondary market is flooded with product, the ratio can be four to five for the initial price of one.

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Rinker Enterprises and Harry L. Rinker are on the Internet. Check out Harry’s Web site..

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Q & A with Harry Rinker: Reverse-Painted Glass, Victrola VV-80, Baseball Gloves

Harry Rinker — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 16:35:10 +0000

QUESTION: I own a reverse painting on glass of Pennsylvania’s famed Horseshoe Curve, located just outside Altoona, Pa. The painting measures 29 ½ in. by 13 ½ in. The painting hung in my grandparent’s parlor when I was a child. I am now 84. Initially, the gilded floral-motif frame was wider, but my grandmother had my uncle cut it down. At one time, I touched up the painting with a bit of black paint. What is its value?

– R.T., Johnstown, Pa., via e-mail

ANSWER: Although reverse painting on glass dates back to antiquity, its first period of popularity occurred during the Italian Renaissance of the 14th and 15th centuries. The technique quickly spread throughout Europe. Paintings were secular and religious, often with a folk art quality.

Reverse painting on glass arrived in American cities such as Baltimore, Boston, Philadelphia, and Salem in the late 1700s or early 1800s. Artists were immigrants from England and Europe, especially German-speaking countries. Commercial production began in the early 19th century and continued into the early 20th century.

Large size, commercially manufactured reverse paintings on glass became a popular decorative accessory between 1895 and 1920. In addition to dozens of generic scenes such as the cottage in the woods, the house by the lake and the mountain landscape, national scenic landmarks (Niagara Falls or the Statue of Liberty) and historic events (Sinking of US Maine or the sinking of HMS Titanic) were popular. Your Horseshoe Curve image fits into the national scenic landscapes group.

The Pennsylvania Railroad completed the Horseshoe Curve in 1854. Considered an engineering marvel, it is now part of the Norfolk Southern Railway track system. The curve is located in the Kittanning Gap in the Allegheny Mountains about five miles west of Altoona. The curve covers an arc of 220 degrees.

In 1966, the Horseshoe Curve was designated a National Historic Landmark. It also is included in the National Register of Historic Places. The Curve is a popular tourist attraction and accessible for viewing by a funicular railway that travels to a small park located at the ridge summit.

Cutting down the frame minimally impacts value. According to the image attached to your e-mail, the frame appears undamaged, a plus. Obviously, the touch-up work that you did also decreases the value slightly, but again minimally if it cannot be easily detected. The location of a reversed painting on glass does impact value. In and around central Pennsylvania, your reverse painting on glass of the Horseshoe Curve is worth between $125 and $145. Outside of Pennsylvania, the value drops below $75.

“Take an object back to its location and double its value” is an old trade maxim. While its applicability is fading, it applies in this instance.

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QUESTION: I own a Victrola VV-80, serial number #149747, record player. It is in playable condition. What is its value?

– N.R., Scappoose, Ore., via e-mail

ANSWER: Victor-Victrola introduced its VV-80 model in 1921. It was the lowest priced phonograph in Victor-Victrola’s line, and its website provides this: “The 80 was a small and basic phonograph, with a minimum of decoration. Trim was machined, rather than hand-carved. All 80’s had the semi-automatic brake and a two-spring motor. The VV-80 was available in mahogany, oak or walnut, but the most popular choice was mahogany with a dark stain applied. The earliest version had no record storage shelves; these were added later as standard equipment by the end of 1921. The VV-80 cabinet was updated in December 1922, with a much larger horn opening and a slightly larger cabinet. The VV-80 was discontinued from the Victor catalog in late 1925.

“The original 1921 selling price of the VV-80 was $100. An estimated total of 185,500 Victrola 80’s were produced.

“A total of 75 VE-80 (electric) models were reported produced during 1924 and 1925, however, no accurate breakdown of per year production is yet possible. Serial numbers for the VE-80 models begin at 501 . . .”

A manufacturing date / serial number range chart on the website indicates your phonograph was manufactured in 1924.

In the first half of the 2000s, Japanese buyers created a spike in the value of hand-crank phonographs. The price for a common 1920s phonograph, such as your VV-80, reached $400. When the Japanese economy suffered inflationary woes and the yen fell against the dollar, the craze ended. Value dropped by half or more. In 2011, the value of your phonograph is between $200 and $250. Collector interest is minimal for common examples. Individuals wishing to buy an example for conversation/display purpose prefer phonographs with more elaborate cabinets and added features.

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QUESTION: I own three baseball gloves. The first two belonged to my Dad when he served in the Pacific Theater during World War II. These are a JC Higgins Genuine Horsehide Harold “Pie” Traynor Special fielder’s glove and a JC Higgins Genuine Cowhide Sammy Holbrook catcher’s mitt. The date “June 24, 1936” is written on the back of the catcher’s mitt. I owned the third glove, a 1956-60 MacGregor Model G120 Robin Roberts fielder’s glove. All are in used condition. What are they worth?

– W.L., Milton, Wisconsin, via e-mail

ANSWER: “Endorsed” baseball gloves are eagerly sought by collectors. Judging from the illustrations of the front and back of each glove that are attached to your e-mail, all three gloves appear to be in very good condition. Although used, the signatures and manufacturer information is easy to read.

Harold Joseph “Pie” Traynor (Nov. 11, 1898-March 16, 1972) only played for one team during his professional career—the Pittsburgh Pirates—from 1920 to 1937. Considered by some to be the greatest third baseman in major league history, he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1948.

James Marbury “Sammy” Holbrook (July 17, 1910-April 10, 1991) played only one season in the majors—1935, as a member of the Washington Senators. From 1929 to 1942, he played minor league ball.

Robin Evan Roberts (Sept. 30, 1926-May 6, 2010) spent the bulk of his major league baseball career (1946-1961) with the Philadelphia Phillies. He was with the Baltimore Orioles from 1961-1965, the Houston Astros from 1965-1966 and Chicago Cubs in 1966. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1976.

Condition, scarcity and membership in the Baseball Hall of Fame are the obvious value considerations. The sale location of the seller plays a role. Gloves listed on specialized dealer Internet sites are priced at two to three times what an identical glove brings on auction websites such as eBay when it sells through. However, many eBay offerings fail to achieve this goal.

What dealers ask is often not what collectors are willing to pay. Some dealers deserve an “eternal optimistic” award. One such example is an eBay dealer with a “Buy It Now” price of $800 for a “Pie” Traynor Special Fielder’s Glove in its period box, both the glove and box being in very good condition at best. I doubt if he would consider an offer of $50. Another eBay seller offered a Pie Traynor glove in August 2011 with an opening bid request of $125 and $11.45 shipping. The price did not attract a buyer. The Traynor glove appeared for sale in the 1928 Sears, Roebuck catalog.

A Sammy Holbrook catcher’s mitt was listed in August 2011 on eBay with an opening bid of $49.99 and a shipping charge of $6.95. It went unsold. WorthPoint.com lists an example that sold on eBay on August 14, 2010 for $13.49.

A Robin Roberts MacGregor Model G120 glove in very good condition was listed in September 2011 on eBay with an opening bid request of $19.95 and shipping and handling costs of $7.70. The listing failed to attract a bid. The website Vintage Sports Shoppe lists similar gloves from the same area at prices ranging from $25 to $45.

Based on the above, a value between $25 and $30 is a good range for your Holbrook and Roberts gloves. A safe value for the Traynor glove is around $50. At these prices, consider keeping the gloves rather than selling them. The memories they evoke are worth more than their dollar value.

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QUESTION: I have an unopened bottle of Camphersuare Natrium (sodium salt of camphoric acid) in the original Kahlbaum bottle with a cork stopper, paper cover and string with lead seal attached. The bottle has a Bausch and Lomb sticker on it. I believe Bausch and Lomb were the importers. The bottle is molded with a large K surrounded by a “benzene ring” on the bottom. I obtained the bottle 40 years ago when I was in graduate school at the University of Illinois, at which time the old stuff from the chemistry storeroom was being discarded. Does this bottle have any value or is it just an interesting memento of my student days?

– R.B., State College, Pa, via e-mail

ANSWER: C. F. Kahlbaum of Berlin was a major supplier of chemicals used in college and university and industrial research laboratories prior to World War I. An Internet search failed to produce a history of the company. I tried researching the chemical and found little.

Your bottle of Camphersuare Natrium has more curiosity than collector value. Its display value is around $10. Your compassion only postponed its final resting place—a dump or landfill somewhere.

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Rinker Enterprises and Harry L. Rinker are on the Internet. Check out Harry’s Web site..

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Q & A with Harry Rinker: Mexican Silver-Plated Silent Butlers, Marufuku Sakura Deck

Harry Rinker — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 16:28:40 +0000

QUESTION: I have a pair of individual silver-plated silent butlers. The basket-shaped body consists of woven metal strands. The top is a shallow oval ashtray with cylinder cups at three and nine o’clock. On the bottom of each basket is a rectangular plaque stamped with “TA- 01 / central circle surrounded by LOS CASTILLO TAXCO / HECHO EN / MEXICO / PLATCADO.” What is their history and value?

– M Al-K, Allentown, Pa., via e-mail

ANSWER: In 1979, a lettering system replaced the use of the eagle numbering system for Mexican silver. The first letter indicates the location where an item is made. T means Taxco. The second letter is usually the name of the silversmith followed by a number indicating the order in which the smith is registered in the records in the town. “A” most likely stands for Antonio Castillo. Unfortunately, the alphabetical registry lists for Taxco and other Mexican cities are not available. Platcado means plated. Los Castillo used the plaque on the bottom of your silent butlers between 1939 and 1962.
After working for Spratling, Castillo family members established their own business. Don Antonio Castillo founded and headed, until his death in 2000, the Los Castillo Taller. Today, The Los Castillo Shop is located at Rancho de la Cascade, Antonio Castillo’s homestead richly landscaped with gardens and waterfalls. The site also contains Castillo’s extensive collection of pre-Columbian artifacts.

While the demand for vintage Los Castillo sterling pieces is strong, there is little demand for the firm’s silver-plated pieces. The value for the pair of silent butlers is between $35 and $50.

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QUESTION: I have a deck of cards consisting of 47 cards, each measuring 1 ¼ inches by 2 inches. Each has a different landscape or floral design. The wooden box has a label picturing the branches of a tree and “MARUFUKA SAKURA” near the top. The back of the box has Japanese letters and symbols. What can you tell me about this card set?

– R.S., Sedalia, Mo., via e-mail

ANSWER: The cards are from a Japanese card game called Hanafuda, which means “flower cards.” The 48-card deck (your set is missing a card) consists of 12 suits of four cards. Each suit represents a month of the year. Each suit has two normal cards, one ribbon card and one special card.

There are more than 10 variations of the game, including Hachi, Hana Awase, Koi-koi and Tensho. Each variation has its own set of rules. In one variation, normal cards are worth 1 point, ribbon cards 5 points and special cards 10 points. The goal of the game is to accumulate more points than your opponent.

The Portuguese introduced the 48-card game of Hombre to the Japanese in 1549. Prior to that date, card playing was limited to the nobility. Hombre became a favorite of the masses. When Japan ended its contact with the West in 1633, the playing of “foreign” card games was prohibited. Card playing, primarily for gambling purposes, continued through the introduction of new card designs. Unsun Karuta, another 48-card game and gambling favorite, was banned in 1791. Hanafuda, which did not use numbered cards, was introduced. In 1889, Fusajiro Yamauchi founded Nintendo Koppai to produce hand-crafted Hanafuda cards. Although Nintendo Koppai still produces Hanafuda cards, its principal 21st-century emphasis is video games. Koi-Koi, a version of Hanafuda, is popular in Hawaii.

Since it is missing a card, your set has minimal value. It cannot be used until the card is replaced. I found several Internet listings for Marufuku Sakura card sets. The high asking price was $30. A more realistic secondary market price for a complete set is between $12 and $15.

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QUESTION: I received a 1977 Alvin Theater “Annie” “Playbill” signed by Michael Jackson as a gift from my parents. Where do I get it authenticated and how do I preserve it?

– J.C., San Antonio, Texas, via e-mail

ANSWER: The first step is establishing the provenance of the piece. “Annie,” a Broadway musical based on Harold Gray’s “Little Orphan Annie” comic strip, opened at the Alvin Theater on April 21, 1977. It closed on Jan. 2, 1983 after 2,377 performances. If memory serves, an insert in “Playbill” should provide the date of the performance.

Once established, the next question becomes where was Michael Jackson on that date? Michael Jackson was born on Aug. 29, 1958. Depending on the date, Jackson would have been 18 or 19 at the time. He began his career in 1964 as a member of The Jackson 5. The Jackson 5 became The Jacksons in June 1975. Michael’s Broadway career was brief. In 1978, he was the scarecrow in the musical “The Wiz.” I found no evidence to suggest he appeared in “Annie.” Hence, if he signed the program, he had to be in attendance in the audience or the program was signed at a NYC venue where Jackson was appearing on or shortly after the date of the “Annie” performance.

Assuming one or both of your parents still are alive, you need to ask them how they acquired the piece. If they saw Jackson sign it, they need to write the story and have it notarized. While you might accept this as proof positive, autograph collectors will not. Anyone can make up a story. The key is to link Jackson to the Alvin Theater that evening.

Authenticating signatures is subjective. In the end, it comes down to one person’s opinion. Professional Autograph Authentication Services claims to have authenticated more than 2,000 Michael Jackson autographs. Is one opinion enough for positive authentication? No. A second or third opinion is necessary. Other autograph authentication services include Academy of Manuscript and Autograph and Bob Eaton of RR Auction. All authentication services charge a fee. Further, the field is full of controversy over whose opinions are trustworthy and whose are not.

Store you “Playbill” in an acid free folder. If you cannot find an acid free folder at a local art supply store, try Hollinger Medial Edge or University Products. Both are sellers of archival supplies.

Although you did not ask, I want to comment briefly on the value of a Michael Jackson autograph. Although your autograph is signed on a “Playbill” page or cover, it is classified as a “clipped signature,” one of the least valuable autograph types. Jackson’s death on June 15, 2009 created a spike in the secondary market value for his material. More than two years later, the market still has not stabilized. Speculative pricing abounds. Finally, the large number of fake Michael Jackson signatures has destroyed market confidence. Buyers are cautious.

In deciding whether to pay an authenticator(s), think resale value in the hundreds and not thousands. Unless a high degree of probability (90 percent or higher) exists that the signature is authentic, you may want to think twice about investing money only to learn the answer is negative.

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QUESTION: I have an orange-colored plastic Fat Albert lunch box. The thermos is missing. What is it worth?

– T., Bethlehem, Pa.

ANSWER: “Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids” was an animated children’s cartoon series that premiered in 1972 and ran until 1985. Comedian Bill Cosby created and hosted the series. Filmation produced the series.

Fat Albert, an African-American youth, came from and lived in a low-income neighborhood in North Philadelphia. Many of the incidents were based on Cosby’s childhood memories. Fat Albert’s signature phrase was “Hey, hey, hey!”

My first reaction to your question is that you must have made a mistake. The 1970s was part of the metal lunch box era. A plastic lunchbox would be unusual.

Once again the old maxim “there is an exception to every rule” applies. There is a Fat Albert metal lunchbox first manufactured by King Seeley in 1973. Examples in fine or better condition sell between $25 and $35. I did find one overly optimistic Internet seller who had the box listed at $100.

There also is an orange plastic version, listed as “überscarce” by one online seller. Asking prices range from $85 to $100. This box also dates from 1973. A more realistic price for your lunchbox, assuming there is no surface damage, is between $50 and $65. According to WorthPoint’s Worthopedia, an example with some surface wear sold on eBay on April 16, 2011 for $11.24, illustrating that an antique or collectible’s value is contingent on time, place, and condition.

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Q & A with Harry Rinker: Auto-Wheel Coaster Wagon, Edison Electrostatic Machine

Harry Rinker — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 15:04:56 +0000

QUESTION: I own a child’s wooden wagon. The side is marked with “NORL’EIGH COASTER,” the two words separated by an extended horizontal diamond with a sun ray center and a green field border with “SHAPLEIGH HARDWARE COMPANY / NORLEIGH DIAMOND.” The marking beneath the wagon reads: “No. 3 / ROLLER BEARING/ MADE BY THE BUFFALO SLED CO. / NORTH TOWANDA, N.Y.” What is the value of my child’s wagon?

– JR, Bleton, Mo, via e-mail

ANSWER: In 1843, Augustus F. Shapleigh became a partner in Rodgers, Shapleigh and Company, a hardware business located in St. Louis, Missouri. In 1847, the company became Shapleigh, Day and Company. The company issued its first catalog in 1853. When Day retired in 1863, the company was renamed A. F. Shapleigh and Co. The company’s Diamond Edge trademark was adopted a year later. In 1909, Shapleigh introduced its “Diamond Edge is a Quality Pledge” slogan.

When A. F. Shapleigh retired in 1901, the company reorganized as Norvell-Shapleigh. Sunders Norvell served as president for ten years. Norvell-Shapleigh had more than 40 house brands, including Black Jack, Mound City and Norleigh. In 1918, the company again changed its name to Shapleigh Hardware Company.

The Buffalo Sled Company was founded in 1899. The 1910 Towanda, N.Y., City Directory lists the company at the corner of Schneck and Duckwitz. The company eventually had facilities at 95-97 and 150-152 Schneck Street. The 1915 directory notes the firm manufactured “shovels, sleighs and coaster wagons.” Sled sales were seasonal. In order to retain its workforce and utilize its tooling throughout the year, sled manufacturers made other wooden products such as desks, educational items, shovels and wagons during the off-season.

The Buffalo Sled Company produced the Auto-Wheel Coaster. The wagon became so popular that Auto Wheel Coaster clubs were organized across the United States. At its peak, the company had 160 employees. Wagon sales exceeded sled sales. The company changed its name to the Auto Wheel Coaster Company in the early 1920s.

As a wholesaler, Shapleigh contracted with other manufacturers to make products with Shapleigh trademarks. Since the Shapleigh Hardware Company name dates from 1918 and Buffalo Sled Works became Auto-Wheel Coaster around 1920, your wagon most likely dates between 1918 and 1920. The date is tentative because it is possible that the Auto Wheel Coaster Company continued to manufacture product under the Buffalo Sled Co. trademark for several years after the name change.

The photographs that accompany your e-mail indicated that your wagon is in very good to fine condition. Although the wagon shows signs of use, the lettering and markings are in fine condition.

While there are collectors of child’s wooden wagons (children’s wheeled vehicles is the collecting category), most are bought for decorating/conversation purposes or by doll and teddy bear collectors who want an “antique” in which to display their prizes. As a result, values vary depending on the purchaser—$250 to $300 to a collector or $400 to $450 to a decorator.

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QUESTION: My grandfather worked with Thomas Edison. I inherited an electrostatic sparking machine which my grandfather received from Edison. It is powered by an Ekonowatt motor. The serial number on the plaque is 51814. The machine is mounted on a wooden base with the word “Edison” in gold script letters. What is the value of my instrument?

– B, Blairstown, N.J.

ANSWER: Thomas Edison, living in Newark, N.J., bought land in Menlo Park in late 1875. In spring 1876, he moved his research and development facility to that location. The first major invention originating from this new facility was the phonograph in November 1877. Within a decade, Edison’s operation outgrew the Menlo Park facility. In 1887, Edison moved his laboratory to West Orange, where he continued to work for the remaining 45 years of his life.

The Edison Ekonowatt motor, which ran on either AC or DC current (there was an adaptor switch attached to the motor), was used to power a number of devices, including Edison cylinder phonographs and Edison Universal dictating machines. The motor experienced multiple refinements. Examples sell on eBay starting at $20 and reaching $50, depending on age, condition and working order.

Thomas Edison filed several patents for electrostatic generators. The purpose of your grandfather’s electrostatic sparker is unclear. Its primary purpose may have been to demonstrate the effectiveness of the Ekonowatt motor. My inclination is to view it as a scientific instrument designed for classroom use.

If I am correct, its value far exceeds that of the motor. A conservative estimate is between $100 and $125. A portion of this value is the association of Edison’s association with your grandfather. You need to assemble as much supporting material as possible to establish this connection. No buyer is going to pay a premium based solely on “say-so.”

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QUESTION: I have a NASCO “Hello Dolly” doll in its period box with the wrapping intact. The doll is wearing a red and pink dress with a red feather hat. The box states: “inspired by David Merrick’s Musical Comedy Hit Starring Carol Channing.” I was wondering what it might be worth?

– MK, Catasauqua, Pa., via e-mail

ANSWER: David Merrick produced a Broadway version of “Hello Dolly,” a musical with lyrics by Jerry Herman and book by Michael Steward, in 1964. The musical was based on Thornton Wilder’s 1938 farce “The Merchant of Yonkers” (a flop), revised and retitled “The Matchmaker” (a hit staring Ruth Gordon) in 1955. After Ethel Merman and Mary Martin turned down the role of Dolly Levi, Merrick considered Nancy Walker before hiring Carol Channing. Although the out-of-town tryouts in Detroit and Washington, D.C., were a disaster, the show opened on Broadway. Channing as Dolly and the show were a hit, winning 10 Tony awards.

Kaysam-Jolly Toys, which headquarters in New York, manufactured hard plastic dolls from the late 1950s through the 1960s. Some dolls, such as the Hello Dolly doll, have Nasco Creations labels. Nasco’s Hello Dolly doll, whose body also might have been used for the company’s Gigi and Juliet Prowse dolls, was 21 inches high.

A similar doll marked “A.E.” is attributed to Allied Imported which also did business as Allied Doll Company, Allied Doll & Toy Company or Allied Grand Doll Mfg. The firm was located in Brooklyn, New York. This company made contract dolls for other manufacturers. The “A.E.” Hello Dolly doll measures 11 ½-inches high.

I checked several doll price guides. The book price for the Nasco doll is between $100 and $200. Thanks to the Internet, it is possible to easily check book prices. As is often the case, field prices are lower by 50 percent or more.

Because your doll retains its period packaging, a conservative secondary market retail value is between $45 and $60.

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QUESTION: I own several Mary Kay Golden Goblets. What is their history? Do they have any value?

– S, Oklahoma

ANSWER: After a 25-year career in direct sales marketing, Mary Kay Ash resigned her position as a national training director to write a book designed to help women advance in the business world. After a chance meeting with a woman who was selling her father’s manufactured cosmetics, Ash purchased the rights to the formula and developed a marketing plan to sell the product nationwide. When her husband—who was helping her—suffered a fatal heart attack, Ash ignored the advice of her accountant and attorney, following instead her mother’s dictum: “You can do it.”

On Sept. 13, 1963, Mary Kay Ash, with the help of her son Richard, launched Beauty by Mary Kay from a small office in Exchange Park in Addison, Texas. The company specializes in cosmetic and skin care products. Pink, a color synonymous with the company, was chosen for its packaging.

Ash believed in rewarding successful employees. The company quickly developed a reputation for lavish rituals and annual celebrations. A gold-plated goblet was given to consultants (Mary Kay product salespersons) who sold $1,000 per month wholesale. In 1965, the company introduced Cinderella gifts, such as automobiles (obviously pink), diamonds and vacations. The Golden Goblet is still being rewarded.

The success of Mary Kay consultants resulted in hundreds of thousands of gold-plated goblets being distributed as rewards. Although mint-in-the-box old and new examples appear regularly on eBay as auction and “Buy It Now” listings, the sell through price is usually less than $5. As recorded on WorthPoint.com, a vintage Mary Kay set consisting of six gold-plated goblets accompanied by a brass pitcher and tray sold for $15.59 on eBay in August 2007.

Given the above, my advice is to use the goblets and forget about selling them.

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Q & A with Harry Rinker: Plymouth Barracuda Slot Car Racing Set

Harry Rinker — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 19:54:23 +0000

QUESTION: I have a “Plymouth Barracuda Slot Racing Set manufactured by Strombecker Corporation, 4646 West Lake Street, Chicago, IL.” Additional text on the box reads: “Let yourself go / PLYMOUTH / VIP FURY BELVEDERE VALIANT BARRACUDA.” I cannot remember how I acquired the set. It has never been assembled. How much is it worth?

– SR, Redding, Ca, via e-mail

ANSWER: This website contains Steve Remington’s detailed history of the Strombeck-Becker Manufacturing Company. In September 1911, John Fredrik Strombeck began manufacturing handles out of wood scraps discarded by the John Deere plant in Moline, Ill. R. D. Becker joined him a month later. Strombeck-Becker Manufacturing Company was incorporated in 1913. The first toy, a set of ten pins, was introduced in 1919. Poor sales resulted in the discontinuation of the ten pin set. The company returned to the wooden toy marketplace in 1922. “Bill Ding,” interlocking wooden figures, appeared in 1931. The Bill Ding set was one of the company’s most popular toy products.

By the mid-1930s, Strombeck-Becker was one of the leading manufacturers of wooden model kits. In 1959, Strombeck-Becker marketed a plastic, 1/24 scale, electric-powered model car kit. Initially, power came from a battery-powered central pylon from which a wire extended to the car motor. By the end of 1959 or early 1960, Strombeck-Becker became the first American slot car manufacturer.

The plastic model kit ended the era of the wood model kit. Strombeck-Becker entered the market too late. In March 1961, Dowel Manufacturing Company of Chicago bought Strombeck-Becker. Dowel continued to use the StromBecker brand name. Dowel is the manufacturer of most StromBecker slot cars appearing in the secondary collecting marketplace.

Dowel committed a large portion of it resources to the slot car craze. The company hired more than a dozen designers and retooled its factory, cranking out one car and set after another. Dowel’s 1963 sales topped 500,000 sets. Sears, Roebuck became Dowel’s leading customer. The slot car craze only lasted five years. When Sears canceled its orders and tried to return unsold stock in the late 1960s, Dowel faced financial ruin. The company survived by returning to its more traditional toy lines.

WorthPoint lists a Plymouth Barracuda Racing Set with identical box markings to the one that you own. It sold on eBay on April 21, 2011, for $54.14. Since no description accompanied this listing, I assume the set experienced heavy play and had some damaged and/or missing parts. Since your set is in mint condition, possibly mint-in-the-box condition, a more realistic secondary market value is between $100 and $125.

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QUESTION: I have an old tabletop, hand-crank phonograph in a dome-top case that is shaped like a treasure chest. It measures 20 inches x 14 inches x 12 inches. There is no writing on the machine except “pat. applied for.” The mechanism works. What can you tell me about it?

– WC, Beloit, Wis.

ANSWER: This is a case where a picture would have been worth a thousand words. Although no picture accompanied your inquiry, I decided to research the phonograph.

An e-mail from Father Dan in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, a listener to “Whatcha Got?,” my antiques and collectibles call-in radio show and record collector, suggested the phonograph “might be a child’s toy . . . Some children’s phonographs used a manual crank up to WWII. The material in children’s phonographs is often of poor quality.” I searched child phonographs and failed to find anything matching your description.

A “phonograph + treasure chest” Google search produced a link to a series of pictures of a Cecilian Treasure Chest Phonograph. This is an adult machine. A caption at the end of the phonographs notes: “Cecilian Treasure Chests are rare—only a few of the great collections have them, as they usually turn up in poor shape cosmetically and with damage to the musical mechanism.”

Cecilian was a Montgomery Ward house brand. Attempts to determine the manufacturer acting on behalf of Montgomery Ward were unsuccessful. Visit the reference librarian at your local public or college/university library and ask her/him to locate the nearest source for a run of 1920s/1930s Montgomery Ward catalogs. Much to my surprise, I was unable to find an Internet site that has them available. Once you have access to the run, start with 1925 and search forward. Do not stop when you find the first Treasure Chest advertisement/listing. Keep going until the listing disappears. There is a strong possibility that the machine was offered for several years. Having the full production dates for the Cecilian Treasure Chest Phonograph provides a more accurate dating tool.

Although a few manufacturers made portable phonographs prior to World War I, the portable phonograph achieved popularity in the early 1920s. By the summer of 1922, most phonograph stores offered several models. The first portable phonographs retailed between $35 and $45, a considerable sum at the time but cheap compared to the cost of a console phonograph.

A conservative value for a Cecilian Treasure Chest Phonograph in working order and very good condition is between $150 and $200. Value increases exponentially as condition increases.

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QUESTION: I have a matching dining room table, chairs and a tea cart made by the Cushman Furniture Company. What can you tell me about it?

– J., Easton, Pa.

ANSWER: Henry Theodore Cushman founded the H. T. Cushman Furniture Company, initially located in North Burlington, Vt. in 1892. He also established the United States Mail Supply Company, one of the first mail order companies in the United States. Cushman’s inventions include the ink eraser, the first ink and pencil eraser combination, and the children’s pencil box.

H. T Cushman manufactured corks, erasers, novelties and wood roller skates. The company expanded its product line to include coat and hat hangers and racks in 1886. H. T. Cushman entered the furniture market in the 1890s. Mission furniture dominated the company’s product line in the first decades of the 20th century. Cushman takes credit for introducing the end-shelf table and the Betumal (Beat ’Em All), a telephone stand.

Cushman’s Colonial Creations line was introduced in the spring of 1933. Although no picture accompanied your query, your grouping includes a tea table, strongly suggesting the pieces are one of the Colonial Revival styles. Cushman added scuffing and other pseudo-wear marks to give its Colonial furniture an “antique” appearance.

Bradley J. Williams’ “The Complete Reference Guide to Cushman Colonial Creations,” published by the author in August 2002, is out of print. The book has a value guide but, given the market changes since that date, the values are no longer valid.

EBay has 48 pieces of Cushman Colonial furniture listed. Almost all are “Buy-It-Now” as opposed to auction listings. “Buy-It-Now” prices are full retail and open to negotiation. Smart buyers question how realistic these asking prices are to begin with. Most pieces would sell for 50 percent or less at a local auction.

Colonial Revival furniture has lost favor with today’s buyers of secondary furniture, especially the under-40 crowd. Why is difficult to understand. When compared to the cost of the nearly identical new pieces, secondary market pieces are 15 to 20 cents on the new retail dollar.

The value of your table and chairs is between $100 and $125 depending on size and design style. Your tea cart is around $30. In fairness, I see tea carts at flea markets and antiques malls at $45 or more. What I do not see is people buying them.

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QUESTION: I own a 1931 Peerless die-cast replica mounted on a wooden plank. I would like to know how much it is worth.

– EP, Hanover, Wis.

ANSWER: Your 1931 Peerless die-cast replica was made by Anson, a major manufacturer of high-quality die-cast replica automobiles from the late 1980s through the beginning of the 2000s. Your replica is designed for the adult market. It is not a toy with which to be played.

While Anson was a leading manufacturer of limited/collector edition die-cast replicas, I was not able to locate a detailed history of the company. It is not clear if Anson was a distributor or a manufacturer. Anson sold replicas in two scales: 1/14 and 1/18. The replicas were manufactured in China.

A like-new example is listed on Amazon.com for $27.95. An example without its clear plastic window box, which you also are missing based on the photograph which accompanied your letter, sold on Proxibid for $15.

When valuing your example, think conservative—$10 to $12.

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Rinker Enterprises and Harry L. Rinker are on the Internet. Check out Harry’s Web site..

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Q & A with Harry Rinker: Silver-Plated Tea Set, Cox Model Planes, Bud Abbot Signature

Harry Rinker — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 16:56:13 +0000

QUESTION: I am 88 years old and facing a decision about what to do with my mother’s silver-plated tea service. None of the kids want it. The set consists of an 18-inch by 12-inch tray, teapot, cream pitcher and covered sugar dish. Marks on the bottom include “Pairpoint,” W M Mounts,” “0319,” “E.P.N.S.,” and the letter “P” in a diamond. The tray has an engraved design and beading somewhat similar to that on the pitcher and other containers. I do not want it but feel it is more than a garage sale item. What is your advice?

– BA, Ariz., via e-mail

ANSWER: You are not alone. This is a universal problem. Children and grandchildren have little interest in things that need polishing or cannot be placed in a dishwasher.

Because your tea service is “electroplated nickel silver,” it has no metallic melt value. Can the surface still be polished to the point where no blemishes or defects can be seen? If the answer is yes, there is a modicum of hope. If the answer is no, a garage sale is the final step before sending it to the landfill.

If the service can hold a polish, it has reuse value. List it on Craigslist. Success in selling depends entirely on the asking price. Remembering the kids do not want it and any money is better than no money, ask around $50. Take any offer reasonable or otherwise that materializes.

Consider donating the tea set to a charitable auction held by a 501(c)3 [non-profit] organization in your community. The IRS does not require a donation acknowledgment letter for gifts valued under $500.

If you have a sense of humor and are not concerned about upsetting people, you have a wedding gift for a grandchild or distant family member. Include a history of the service and tell the new owner how thrilled you are to pass it along to someone who will cherish it as much as you did.

The “0319” is Pairpoint’s pattern number for the service. To make certain my advice was correct, I did a Google search of “Pairpoint +0319.” I found a three-piece service that sold at auction for $15. Another set offered for auction had a starting bid of $70 and an estimate of $140 to $160. I was not able to determine the final hammer price. A five-piece set containing number “0319” is offered on Ruby Lane for $160.

Finally, while I would like to soapbox and deliver a “shame on you” speech to your children, I will not. When my mother died, I did not keep her silver-plated tea service because I had no desire to polish it. I made the decision in 1977 and have no regrets to this day.

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QUESTION: I recently acquired six (6) Showcase Cox Miniatures – 3001 Curtis Hawk, 3002 Grumman F3F-3, 3003 Boeing F4B-4, 3004 Boeing P-26A, 3005 The Spirit of St. Louis and 3006 Winnie May. The scale is 1/100. The planes are plastic and in their period packaging. In addition, I acquired one Bachmann mini-plane. Do these planes hold any interest for collectors?

– AH, via e-mail

ANSWER: When I think of Cox Models, my thoughts turned to miniature model internal combustion engines and tethered airplanes and cars. I sometimes forget that toy manufacturers constantly add to their product line to keep abreast of market trends.

Roy Cox founded The L. M. Cox Manufacturing Company, Inc., in 1945. A wooden pop gun was his first product. As metals became available for domestic manufacture after the Second World War, Cox began marketing a cast-aluminum, tethered midget racer featuring a Cameron Brothers 0.15 engine. Cox moved from Placentia to Santa Ana, California in 1963. HO scale model trains and a line of rockets became part of the company’s product line. When Cox retired in 1969, he sold his company to Leisure Dynamics, a hobby conglomerate.

Showcase Cox Miniatures date from the late 1960s or early 1970s. At first, I was concerned these were manufactured by different companies. However, images of packaged examples on the Internet clearly show the Cox logo.

The 1/100 scale models featured authentic insignias, moveable control surfaces, and propellers that spin. The back of the packaging contained data and other information relating to the aircraft. The interior surface of the base cardboard tray of the window box contained a landscape or aerial scene. These fragile planes were designed for display rather than play.

Bachmann mini-planes also date from the 1970s. They were plastic and made in Hong Kong, most likely the origin of the Showcase Cox Miniatures as well. It is not clear if the Bachmann mini-planes preceded or copied the Showcase Cox Miniatures.

The low cost of the Showcase Cox Miniatures and the Bachmann mini-planes made them popular collectibles of their era. Since the packaging enhanced the plane’s display appeal, many planes were never removed from their box. More than 75 percent of the examples found for sale on the Internet remain in their period box.

Examples of Showcase Cox Miniatures in their period box in very good or better condition retail between $10 and $12. Examples occasionally sell for less on eBay. Bachmann mini-planes usually bring $5 to $8.

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QUESTION: I have an old silver certificate that belonged to my great Aunt Lydia. It is autographed on the back: “To Lydia / Your Pal / Bud Abbott.” She must have encountered Abbot at an event and had him sign it. What is it worth?

– DM, via e-mail

ANSWER: Authentication is a critical issue when dealing with autographs. Fraudulent autographs are rampant. Although you have no proof to support your theory of origin, the fact that the bill was folded and retained as a keepsake provides a provenance to support the possibility the signature is authentic. Using the photographs attached to your e-mail to determine the age of the bill and its aging characteristics, I am assuming the Abbott signature is authentic.

Your question is intriguing because it raises the issue of multiple values. First, your one-dollar bill is from the 1899 series and contains the Parker-Burke signature combination. The 1899-style large size bill lasted until 1923. “The Standard Catalog of United States Paper Money, 28th Edition” (Krause Publications, 2009), edited by George S. Cuhaj, books an example in fine condition at $175. Your bill is heavily used and has multiple folds and creases. I grade it between fair and good condition. It is worth more than its $1 face value; $25 and $35 is a conservative estimate.

Second, the signature alone has value. Bud Abbott (Oct. 2, 1896 to April 24, 1974) was born into a circus family. His father Harry was an advance man and his mother Rae was a bareback rider for Barnum and Bailey. After marrying Betty Smith, a burlesque dancer and comedienne in 1918, Abbott and his wife created Broadway Flashes and toured on the Gus Sun Vaudeville Circuit. Abbot did not meet Lou Costello until the early 1930s.

While it is quite possible that your Aunt Lydia had an older bill in her pocketbook when she encountered Bud Abbot, if is far more likely that Abbott signed the bill prior to his association with Lou Costello. If the signature dates from Abbott’s pre-Abbott and Costello career, its value increases.

You own a “clipped” signature. Normally, the term refers to a signature clipped (cut) from a document or signed on a blank sheet of paper. While your bill is not a blank sheet, collectors treat it as such.

Bud Abbott, as well as Lou Costello, was an extremely generous signer. Each understood the value of fans, even early in their careers. Hence, their signatures abound in the marketplace.

A conservative value for your Bud Abbott autographed bill is around $500. This value can be enhanced by obtaining a black and white photograph of Bud Abbott during his early vaudeville days and having the bill and photo dual-mounted in an acid free mat and placed in an attractive frame. Once done, the perceived value will double. When buying framed autograph material in a gallery, half or more of the price results from this type of enhancement.

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QUESTION: I have a bamboo walking cane. The top lifts off. Inside is a device that pulls out and can be used to measure the height of a horse in hands and inches. What is its value?

– LN, Fenelton, Pa.

ANSWER: You own a gadget cane. Gadget canes came with a variety of inserts, such as flasks (one of my favorites when the flasks contain fine bourbon), pistols or swords, flags and seats. All the horse-measuring gadget canes that I have handled in my career are English or Continental in origin.

Cowan’s Auctions sold a bamboo gadget cane with a measuring device, a perfect match for the cane in the picture that accompanied your letter, for $499.38 at its July 31, 2010 Continental Fine and Decorative Art auction. This cane’s measuring stick also contained a bubble level. Burchard Galleries sold a horse measuring gadget cane at its April 6, 2011 auction for $175. A realistic value for your example is between $250 and $300.

In case my readers are wondering, a hand is the equivalent of four inches.

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Q & A with Harry Rinker: WWII Military Sign, Lexington Piano, MLB Newsletters

Harry Rinker — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 17:45:57 +0000

QUESTION: I have a framed broadside that reads: “WARNING / UNITED STATES ARMY/ EASTERN MILITARY AREA / UNDER AUTHORITY OF EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 9066 OF THE PRESIDENT / OF THE UNITED STATES AND PURSUANT TO PUBLIC PROCLAMATIONS / ISSUED BY HEADQUARTERS EASTERN DEFENSE COMMAND AND FIRST / ARMY, GOVERNORS ISLAND NEW YORK, THE WITHIN AREA HAS BEEN / DESIGNATED A/ RESTRICTED ZONE….H. A. DRUM / LIEUTENANT GENERAL, U. S. ARMY.” The broadside was posted on the beach in Hancock Point, Maine, during World War II. Does it have any value?

– MG, Hancock, Maine, via e-mail

ANSWER: President Franklin Roosevelt signed Executive Order No. 9066 authorizing the Secretary of War to prescribe Military Areas on Feb. 19, 1942. The order states: “ I hereby authorize and direct the Secretary of War, and the Military Commanders whom he may from time to time designate, whenever he or any designated Commander deem such action necessary or desirable to prescribe military areas in such places and of such extent as he or the appropriate Military Commander may determine, from which any or all persons may be excluded, and with respect to which, the right of any person to enter, remain in, or leave shall be subject to whatever restriction the Secretary of War or the appropriate Military Commander may impose in his discretion . . . ” While the order was used to limit access to beach areas along the Atlantic Coast, it was broadly interpreted so that it applied to one-third of the land area in the United States, the vast majority of which was in the West. It became the legal justification for ordering approximately 120,000 Japanese Americans into internment camps. Executive Order No. 9066 remained in effect until President Gerald Ford rescinded it on Feb. 19, 1976.

The U. S. Army’s Eastern Defense Command (EDC), responsible for coordinating the defense of the Atlantic Coast Region, was established on March 17, 1941. The command also had the responsibility of training troops for overseas service. Lieutenant General Hugh Aloysius Drum, commander of the U.S. First Army, was the EDC’s first commanding officer. First Army and EDC were headquartered at Fort Jay, Governors Island in New York Harbor. Drum served as head of EDC until October 8, 1943.

General Drum (Sept. 19, 1879 to Oct. 3, 1951) joined the United States Army in 1898. By World War I, he was assistant Chief of Staff to General John J. Pershing. Following World War I, he served at Fort Leavenworth and the War Department. He was one of the leading opponents of Colonel Billy Mitchell’s plan to make the Army Air Corps a separate service branch. After commanding the U.S. Army Pacific from 1935 to 1937, he assumed command of First Army in 1938. His ambition to become Chief of Staff was thwarted in 1939 when he was passed over in favor of General George Marshall. He suffered a similar fate when asking for a prime wartime assignment in Europe. When he reached mandatory retirement age in 1943, he left the service.

When individuals ask me what we sell in the antiques and collectibles trade, my stock answer is: “dreams and stories.” Stories breathe life into objects. Hopefully, the above information enhances your knowledge and interest in your broadside. Rather than seeing it as just a scrap of paper, you now view it as an historical document chronicling an important period of American history.

The digital photograph that accompanied your e-mail shows that the broadside suffered water damage; no surprise since it was posted on a coastal beach. Its value in this condition is between $40 and $50.

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QUESTION: I have an old Lexington piano dated 1903. What is its value?

– PS, Lehigh Valley, Pa.

ANSWER: The Lexington Piano Company, located in Boston, was established at the beginning of the 20th century. Boston was one of the leading piano manufacturing centers in the United States. Hallet & Davis, founded in 1835 as Brown & Hallet, exhibited a grand piano at the 1867 Paris Exposition.

While the Sweeney Piano website lists 1906 to 1940 as the working dates for the Lexington Piano Company, other websites suggest earlier founding and ending dates. Lexington made grand pianos, baby grand pianos, upright pianos and upright player pianos. Several website sources suggest Lexington was absorbed by Hallet & Davis.

The National Piano Manufacturing Company of Boston was founded in 1910. National Piano aggressively acquired other Boston piano companies, including Briggs Merrill, Conway, Hallet & Davis, Norris & Hyde, and Wentworth. Jacob Doll & Sons purchased National Piano in 1926, maintaining the National brand for upright and player pianos. While National dissolved early in the Great Depression, some of the brand names such as Hallet & Davis continued.

You did not specify the type of piano you own. Before discussing the various types, a few general observations are necessary. Pianos are a tough sell, especially if they have not been kept tuned and/or need restoration. Value also differs depending on whether you are selling wholesale (privately) or retail (piano store).

When buying a piano, the buyer is cognizant of the costs involved in moving a piano. Having a professional mover move a piano across town is a minimum of $300, often higher. As distance increases, so does cost. If the buyer is lucky to have friends who have little to no concern about throwing out their backs, the cost of the move is limited to a rental truck, a few pizzas and a case of beer.

If your piano is an old upright that is playable but not reconditioned, its secondary market value is around $100. Piano shop retail prices for reconditioned uprights range from $400 to $750.

If your piano is a baby grand that is playable but not reconditioned, its secondary market value is between $400 and $500 dollars. Reconditioned examples at a piano shop begin at $1,200 and range into the high thousands depending on manufacturer.

In the past, I advised clients to donate the piano to a local church or education group. Today, thanks to the electronic age, these groups no longer have use for them.

If your goal is to sell your piano, try Craigslist or a classified advertisement in your local newspaper. Your success will depend on how little, not how much, you ask.

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QUESTION: I have a collection of Major League Baseball newsletters, among which is a June 1953 Brooklyn Dodgers newsletter and a 1946 Giants Jottings. What value do these have?

– J, Macungie, Pa.

ANSWER: “Learn something new every day” is a prime reason I remain active in the antiques and collectibles field. While I am familiar with the modern e-mail blogs and newsletters issued by Major League Baseball teams, I failed to remember there were printed historical equivalents.

The Brooklyn Dodgers issued its “Vintage Line Drives Newsletter” as early as 1939. On July 5, 2010, Heritage Auctions, Dallas, Texas, sold a lot of 22 Dodgers newsletters dating between 1939 and 1950 for $56, or roughly $2.50 each.

Researching Major League Baseball newsletters is difficult. While I suspect the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., has full runs and scattered examples in its collection, I was not able to access its holdings database on the Internet. The University of Notre Dame Hesburgh Library’s Rare Book & Special Collections holdings include the Joyce Sports Research Collection. The Joyce Collection contains a collection of 1940s through 1960s American League team newsletters from the Baltimore Orioles (The Oriole-gram), Boston Red Sox (Red Sox Ramblings), Chicago White Sox (White Sox Yarns / White Sox American League News), Cleveland Indians (Indian News), Detroit Tigers (Detroit Tiger Tales), Los Angeles Angels (Angel Angles), Minnesota Twins (Bulle-Twin), New York Yankees (Yank), Philadelphia Athletics (Along the Elephant Trail), Kansas City Athletics (News of the Athletics), and Washington Senators (The Washington Senators AL News).

Value is relative. In the case of sports memorabilia, it differs significantly if the item is offered for sale in a team’s home town versus that of a rival. Copies of Yank sell in the New York City market between $8.50 and $20, depending on the seller. In Boston, well, that is another matter.

When offered at a sports memorabilia auction, team newsletters are usually sold within group lots, thus making it difficult to assign a specific value to the newsletters. When sold as a block at auction, the average individual price does not exceed $4.

Given the scarcity of these newsletters, I would have expected the price to be higher. However, team newsletters appear to be low-level priority among baseball collectors. Since their desirability is low, so is their value.

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QUESTION: I have a large bar of Procter & Gamble’s Ivory Soap in a wrapper dated 1940. It belonged to my great grandmother. I know it is unusual, but just wonder if it has any value or should I toss it?

– NG, Lancaster, Ohio, via e-mail Question

ANSWER: Proctor & Gamble’s Ivory Soap website has a detailed history of the soap that floats. Actually, “Ivory” refers to a wide range of P&G products focused on its white, mildly fragranced soap. P&G first sold Ivory Soap in 1879. “It Floats!” was introduced in 1891. My generation, those of us who grew up in the 1940s and 1950s, know Ivory as being “99 and 44/100% Pure.”

Your ivory soap bar is collectible, due primarily to its packaging. Old soap bars are used primarily to create nostalgic displays in bathrooms or as shelf stock in a country store display. Value is modest, somewhere between $2 and $5.

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Q & A with Harry Rinker: Star Wars LP, Vintage Toy Blocks, Moravian Clay Titles

Harry Rinker — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 16:39:49 +0000

QUESTION: I have a 1977 “The Story of Star Wars” record album. What is its value?

– M, Wind Gap, Pa.

ANSWER: Researching the answer to your question served as a reminder of the rapid nature of technological advances over the last 35 years.

[Author’s Aside: It is hard to believe that 35 years soon will have passed since the lights went black in Bethlehem’s Boyd Theater in May 1977 and the words “A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away . . .” scrolled across the screen. I remember it as though it were yesterday. Yet, it was half a lifetime ago.]

In an age when VHS tapes are a distant memory, the time before home video qualifies as ancient history. When “Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope” premiered, home video did not exist. The RCA VBT200, the first VHS-base video cassette recorder, went on sale on Aug. 23, 1977. If a fan wanted a Star Wars audio memento, “The Story of Star Wars” record album was his/her only choice.

The album used dialogue and sound effects from the film. Roscoe Lee Browne did the narration based on a script written by Cheryl Gard and E. Jack Kaplan. George Lucas and Alan Livingston produced the album. In addition to record format, the album also was released as a compact cassette, 4-track reel-to-reel audio tape, and 8-track tape. Albums also were released for “Empire Strikes Back” and “Return of the Jedi.”

“The Story of Star Wars” reached Gold Record status, ensuring its commercial success. It also means the survival rate for copies is high. Two recent listings on eBay, one starting at 99¢ and a second at $15, failed to attract a bid. This comes as no surprise.

Assuming the cover is in fine or better condition (the cover has more value than the record), the value of your album is between $5 and $8. If the cover has any damage, the album’s value is negligible.

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QUESTION: I have Baker & Bennett Wonder Blocks. The wooden blocks can be rearranged in the manner of a Tangram to make a variety of Mother Goose characters. A booklet of Mother Goose nursery rhymes, dated 1916, accompanies the set. In addition, there is information relating to two characters named DICKIE-DEES and DEEDLE-DUM. What can you tell me about my block set?

– M, Cherryville, Pa.

ANSWER: Baker & Bennett, a toy company, had its office and salesroom at 875 Broadway, New York, N.Y. The International Games Database, accessible via the American Game and Puzzle Collectors website, lists two games: Coontown Shooting Gallery (1909) and Psychology of the Hand (1919). The doll website Doll Reference notes the “B&B” mark on composition dolls is that of Baker & Bennett, which made composition dolls between 1902 and 1916.

The beginning of the First World War brought a temporary end to toys imported from Germany. Richter’s Anchor Stone Building Sets (Richters Anker-Steinbaukästen), produced in Rudolstadt, Germany dominated the American construction toy market prior to 1916. American manufacturers such as Baker & Bennett took advantage of World War I to gain a foothold in the American toy marketplace. The company produced Wonder Blocks—various wooden shaped blocks stored in compartments within a wooden box and accompanied by a booklet demonstrating buildings and other forms that could be constructed from the blocks.

Baker & Bennett introduced its Mother Goose Wonder Blocks around 1918. The July and September 1918 issues of “St. Nicholas Magazine” contained advertisements for the Mother Goose set. The July advertisement stated: “A big box contains the set of WONDER BLOCKS which are clean unpainted white wood, fresh from months of seasoning in the big outdoors. There is a book full of Mother Goose rhymes and pictures of the WONDER BLOCK characters . . .

[Author’s Aside: Both advertisements also show several Mother Goose characters that can be built from the blocks.]

“If you cannot find them, we will ship the box, post paid, for $1.75. Anyway, send for a descriptive circular and mention ST. NICHOLAS . . .”

Each advertisement also mentions a second set of Wonder Blocks that built the characters of DICKIE-DEES and DEEDLE-DUM. This set cost $1.25 postpaid. These characters appear to have been created by Baker & Bennett. I could not find any historical precedents in children’s literature or the comics.

Valuing construction sets is difficult. Parts are missing, often lost through play. Children tend to combined parts from different sets made by the same company. Lego is a good example. Assuming that (1) the period box is in good shape including the lid, (2) the booklet is in very good or better condition, and (3) 95 percent of the pieces, including the key face pieces, are present, the value of a Mother Goose Wonder Block Set is between $35 and $40. A complete DICKIE-DEES AND DEEDLE DUM set is valued around $25.

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QUESTION: I have two Moravian clay titles, each of which measures 4 inches by 4inches by ½ inch. The first is black with a tree motif and marked “MR” and “1984” on the back. The second is blue with a grape motif and marked “MR” and “1992” on the back. What is their value?

– DO, via e-mail

ANSWER: Henry Chapman Mercer (1856-1930), ceramist, collector, historian and character extraordinaire, lived in Doylestown, Pa. Fonthill, Mercer’s home built of hand-mixed concrete between 1908 and 1910, the Mercer Museum building, also built of hand-mixed concrete between 1913 and 1916, and his Moravian Tile Works are included on the National Historic Landmark register.

After graduating from Harvard, Mercer served as curator of American and Pre-Historic Archaeology at the Museum of the University of Pennsylvania from 1894 to 1897. His archaeological investigations took him to Delaware, Ohio and Tennessee in the United States and the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. The year 1897 proved to be a turning point in his life. While antiquing, he chanced upon a collection of tools made obsolete by the Industrial Revolution. His purchase became part of more than 50,000 tools and other artifacts that comprise the collection of the Mercer Museum, now part of the Bucks County Historical Society.

As Mercer’s collection grew, he became interested in reviving the clay pottery tradition of eastern Pennsylvania. When his initial attempts failed, he shifted his attention to producing titles to meet the growing demands by Arts and Crafts architects and builders. In 1912, the Moravian Pottery & Tile Works (MPTW) began the production of mosaics and tiles for ceilings, floors, and walls. The MPTW has a Spanish influence. Mercer supervised the production of tiles until his death in 1930. Tiles made during this period are unmarked. Tiles made immediately following Mercer’s death are marked with a variety of backstamps.

The Moravian Pottery & Tile Works became part of the National Registry of Historic Places in 1972. Today, the Bucks County Department of Parks and Recreation maintains and operates the Moravian Tile Works as a living history museum. Ceramic apprenticeships and workshop are offered. Modern tiles are marked MOR.

The cost of modern reproduction tiles begins at $17.75 and reaches a high of $48.65, according to the “Handpainted Relief Tiles” catalog of the Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, available on the Internet. There is no secondary collecting market for the reproduction titles. Their value is solely decorative or reuse. As such, a fair price would be one-quarter to one-third of what the tiles sold for when new. Your two tiles have a value between $2.50 and $4.

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QUESTION: In the 1940s, I was given an anti-aircraft toy gun that was manufactured by the Baldwin Manufacturing Co. of Brooklyn, New York. It is marked “890.” Since I played with it often, it is in rough shape. It had inch-long bullets, probably made from a 1/4in dowel. I no longer have any of them; but, the gun still works. Do you have any idea of its worth?

– RB, via e-mail

ANSWER: Research revealed only a minimal amount of information about the Baldwin Manufacturing Company. The Old Wood Toys website listed an address of 46 Roebling Street in Brooklyn and information that the company was a leading maker of doll accessories. A lithograph tin hen on the nest with a crank-handle and noise maker insert was one of the company’s products.

Your gun is actually a cannon. I found several eBay listings, one of which listed the steel and wood #890 cannon as being made in 1936 and another in 1937. The late 1930s is a safe manufacturing date. Given this, you most likely acquired your cannon in used condition.

The eBay listings pictured the cannon. Its appearance is more that of a piece of coastal artillery or a long-range cannon, as opposed to an anti-aircraft weapon. An eBay listing with an opening bid request of $19.99 and a Buy-It-Now price of $49.95 plus $12.50 shipping failed to attract a bid.

Given the condition of your example, a reasonable secondary market value is $15.

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Q & A with Harry Rinker: Tobacco Broadside, Geissendorfer Print, Chesty Morgan Matchbook

Harry Rinker — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 17:05:49 +0000

QUESTION: I have a Granger Tobacco advertising broadside featuring a picture of Joe Gordon, who played second base for the New York Yankees. What is it worth?

– JC, Yuma, Ariz.

ANSWER: Granger Pipe Tobacco, a product of the Pinkerton Tobacco Company, is a mild to medium strength, very mild flavored Burley pipe tobacco. Reviewers compare it to Carter Hall, Prince Albert and Velvet. Other Pinkerton pipe blends include Southern Pride and Southern Pride Peach. Pinkerton Tobacco Company, now Swedish owned, is located in Owensboro, Ky., and is best known for Red Man, a chewing tobacco. Pinkerton promoted Red Man largely through advertisements painted on the side of barns. Baseball player Nap Lajoie was an early endorser of Red Man.

Joseph Lowell “Joe” Gordon (Feb. 18, 1915-April 14, 1978) was known as “Flash,” named after Flash Gordon of comic fame. He made his major league debut on April 18, 1938, for the New York Yankees. Gordon was the American League MVP in 1942 and a member of The Sporting News Major League All-Star Team nine times. His career with the Yankees ended in 1946. Gordon moved to the Cleveland Indians, where he played from 1947 to 1950. The Veterans Committee elected him to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2009.

The photograph of the Granger Tobacco advertising broadside that accompanied your letter shows Gordon receiving a tub of Granger from his wife Betty. The slogan reads: “Give Mild Cool Granger.” This was one of several Granger point-of-purchase broadsides featuring baseball players produced in the late 1930s and early 1940s. A broadside picturing Johnny Mize of the St. Louis Cardinals reads “A Milder and Cooler Smoke in a Drier Pipe” and one with an image of Joe “Ducky” Medwick of the St. Louis Cardinals states “keeps the pipe bowl cool and the stem clean and the smoker happy.”

I found two sale listings for the Granger Gordon advertising broadside—one in 2005 realizing $276 and another a few years later that closed at $393. Both broadsides were in near mint condition. As always, I recommend you think conservatively. The value of your poster is around $300.

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QUESTION: I recently acquired six framed, hand-colored Ernst Geissendorfer signed prints of Rothenburg ob der Tauber. What is their value?

– MH, Kansas City, Mo., via e-mail

ANSWER: I often encounter framed souvenir hand-colored, signed prints of European cities and towns when I do appraisal clinics. While Paris views lead the pack, German town views are not far behind.

While showing some academic training, the artists are not among the elite. The views are nostalgic in theme and sold primarily for decorative purposes. The framing and matting is usually ordinary. The pre-1980 matting is almost always acidic. The cost to re-mat often exceeds the value of the print.

“Value is in the packaging and presentation” is a truism in the antiques and collectibles game. If you need proof, visit Art of the Print. The website lists “Ernst Geissendorfer’s original etching, ‘Rothenburg ob der Tauber’ . . . was created by the 20th-century German artist between 1950 and 1970. It is printed upon stiff wove paper and with full margins and is signed, titled and annotated, ‘Original Rad. (ierung)’—original etching—by the artist in pencil. This etching represents a fine, original example of the 20th-century landscape art created by Ernst Geissendorfer. ‘Rothenburg ob der Tauber’ depicts one of Germany’s most picturesque places. Situated in Bavaria on the Tauber River, Rothenburg is virtually unchanged since the Middle Ages. Medieval towers and walls of defence (sic.) still stand within the city.” The asking price is $295, a price which reflects the 8½-inch by 1l½-inch print matted in 100-precent archival material.

Whenever I see or hear “original,” alarm bells sound in my mind. Of course, it is original. Everything is original. If you see it, it is original. “Original,” along with “real” and “genuine” are among the most useless identification terms in the antiques and collectible business. The appearance of “original” three times in the description makes my hair stand on end.

The fun thing about the description is that overall, it is accurate. I do take exception to “fine” as well as original. “Ordinary” would have been a far better word choice, but I am not trying to sell/promote the piece.

Art of the Print provides a brief biography of Geissendorfer, indicating he studied in Nuremberg and managed a family art gallery in Rothenburg. There is no indication his work is in museum collections or was the subject of exhibitions outside Rothenburg.

The demand for generic, hand-colored, signed souvenir prints is minimal, especially among young collectors. I value them between $30 and $45, based on my opinion regarding the aesthetics of the artwork and quality of the matting and frame.

[Author’s Aside: I visited Rothenburg ob der Tauber in 1968 and have vague memories of buying a portfolio of souvenir prints. Chances are they are the Geissendorfer prints. Until the sale of The School (the former Vera Cruz [Pa.] Elementary School), I kept almost everything I acquired. Prior to researching this question, I would have put the portfolio on the “junk” pile when I found it. Now I have to think twice. At $50 a print, forget $295, the portfolio would be worth $300. At that price, I am a seller.]

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QUESTION: I have a matchbook from the Pilgrim Burlesque in Boston, Mass. The cover features a topless photograph of the stripper Chesty Morgan. What is its value? Does anyone collect matchbooks anymore?

– KR, via e-mail

ANSWER: Matchbooks, more commonly referred to as matchcovers, are very collectible. Collectors are known as phillumenists. The Rathkamp Matchcover Society website contains detailed information about the hobby. There are several dozen regional clubs scattered throughout the United States and Canada. The “Want to Sell Your Covers” home page contains a wealth of information for individuals who encounter large collections in estates or other sources.

Pilgrim Burlesque was located in Boston’s famed Combat Zone, an adult entertainment district located on Washington Street between Boyston and Kneeland and extending up Stuart Street to Park Square. Jean Cole, a reporter for the Boston Record-American, named the area in a series of exposé articles in the 1960s. In addition to Pilgrim Burlesque, other strip clubs included “Club 66,” “Naked I,” “Teddy Bare Lounge” and “Two O’Clock Club.” The Pilgrim Burlesque became part of American political history in December 1974 when Wilber Mills, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee and apparently under the influence of alcohol, appeared on stage with stripper Fanne Foxe, “The Argentine Firecracker.”

The website RetroCrush contains a link to the Dec. 13, 2009 article entitled “Whatever Happened to Chesty Morgan?” written by Jeff Kinkenberg of Florida’s “i>St. Petersburg Times. Lillian Stello was born in Poland. After living in the Warsaw Ghetto and losing her parents, she was sent to the British Mandate of Palestine. She lived in a series of orphanages and a kibbutz, eventually studying to become a nurse. Around age 20, she met and married Joseph Wilczkowski, an American. The couple moved to Brooklyn, where Wilczkowski had a butcher shop. Wilczkowski was killed in a robbery in 1965. At age 27, Lillian—faced with supporting her two children—began her career as a stripper.

Originally billed as Zsa Zsa, her physical endowments soon led to the stage name of Chesty Morgan. When she appeared in Boston, a reporter described her as an exotic dancer “with a front as imposing as the Fenway wall.” She appeared in two R-rated movies. At the peak of her career, she earned $6,000 a week.

A second marriage to Major League Baseball umpire Richard Stello ended in divorce in 1979. Her career ended in 1991. She is enshrined in the Burlesque Hall of Fame in Las Vegas, along with such greats as Betty Page, Gypsy Rose Lee and Mae West.

While not scarce, Chesty Morgan matchcovers have a certain “dirty old man” appeal. As a result, examples list between $15 and $20 on eBay and storefront Internet sites.

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QUESTION: I own an Ansco Shur-Shot box camera. It appears to be in good condition, and I think it still works. What can you tell me about it?

– AG, Leaksville, Miss., via e-mail

ANSWER: The website Matt Dent Photo contains a detailed history of the AGFA Ansco Shur-Shot D6 camera. The Ansco Corporation, located in Binghamton, N.Y., introduced the Shur-Shot in 1932. The camera used 116 roll film, a type no longer made. The fixed lens was in focus from 2m to infinity. A special feature of the camera was its ability to switch from a square to rectangular picture format.

Old though it may be, the camera was produced in such quantity that it is a glut on the secondary market. In working order, “think it still works” is not the same as “does” in the antiques and collectibles trade, the camera sells between $5 and $10.

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Rinker Enterprises and Harry L. Rinker are on the Internet. Check out Harry’s Web site..

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Q & A with Harry Rinker: Transistor Radio, Red Cross Wine Press & Reel Lawn Mower

Harry Rinker — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 19:56:22 +0000

QUESTION: I have a Zenith All Transistor Trans-Oceanic AM-FM Multiband Royal 3000-1 radio in good working order. It takes nine D-size batteries but also runs on AC using an adapter. The body has a black and chrome appearance. There is a whip antenna in the handle. What might it be worth?

– SS, Lancaster, Pa., via e-mail

ANSWER: Commander Eugene F. McDonald, Zenith’s founder, was an outdoorsman and yachtsman. Wishing to tune into radio and shortwave broadcasts while outdoors, McDonald ordered his engineers to develop a portable radio in 1940. The result was Zenith’s Model 7G605, “Trans-Ocean Clipper,” introduced in early 1942. Some 35,000 units with a retail price of $75 were produced before Zenith switched to wartime production in April 1942. Robert Davol Budlong designed the first post-war model, 8G005Y, priced at $125. The H500 “Super Trans-Oceanic,” launched in May 1951, sold for $99.95.

The Royal series, which appeared in 1962, utilized transistors rather than tubes. The 1979 R7000 was the last Zenith Trans-Oceanic made. Sony’s digital readout tuning dial radio, a superior product, was the Trans-Oceanic’s death knell.

The Royal 3000 was the second Zenith transistor Trans-Oceanic series. Three-thousand series radios had nine bands—AM, FM and seven shortwave bands. The 3000-1 model had a 12-volt adapter. The retail cost in 1964 was $275. The 3000 series was in production between 1964 and 1971.

A Royal 3000-1 sold on eBay on April 22, 2011 for $72.05. Another eBay seller listed one for a “Buy It Now” price of $79. I also found listings on other Internet sites for prices ranging between $35 and $50. Value is driven by sound quality and appearance. The $75 price is for an example looking fresh out of the box and with excellent reception.

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QUESTION: I recently purchased a Red Cross wine press at auction for $310. The piece is in excellent condition. The only mark I found was “P31N.” My daughter researched the Red Cross wine press on the Internet but found very little. What information can you provide?

– DS, North Jackson, Ohio, via e-mail

ANSWER: Red Cross Manufacturing Company, the maker of your wine press, was located in Bluffton, Ind. I contacted the Wells County Public Library (200 West Washington Street, Bluffton, IN 46714) and talked with Ms. Alice Curry, the Genealogy Clerk. Ms. Curry sent me more than a dozen sheets of information pertaining to the Red Cross Company and its products, including a copy of T. Lindsay Baker’s “A Product History of the Red Star and Red Cross Windmills,” which appeared in the Windmillers’ Gazette, XIX, No. 1 (Winter 2000).

Your Red Cross wine press’s history began with windmills. In 1898, Rufus G. Marcy—with business partners George A. Ullman, Joseph A. Ullman and C. W. Sherick from Ashland Manufacturing Company—founded the R. G. Marcy Manufacturing Company to manufacture windmills. The factory was located at the corner of Washington and Oak Streets in Bluffton.

The Marcy windmills, originally called “Red Star,” were almost identical to Flint and Walling Manufacturing Company’s (Kendalville, Ind.) “Steel Star” and “Original Star” windmills. Marcy had worked for Flint and Walling for more than two decades. Flint and Walling sued R. G. Marcy for trademark infringement and won. R. G. Marcy changed the brand name of its windmills to “Red Cross.” When Rufus retired in January 1902, the firm became Marcy Manufacturing until October 1902, when it changed its name again to the Red Cross Manufacturing Company. Beginning in 1904, the Red Cross Company manufactured windmills for Sears, Roebuck and Company under its Kenwood brand. This relationship continued until Sears switched to another supplier in the 1920s. By 1923 the majority of the stock was in the hands of the Ullman family.

Red Cross Manufacturing added a wide range of farm products such as stock waterers and fountains to its line. When Prohibition was enacted in 1918, Red Cross introduced cider/fruit presses for home use. Bailers, conveyor belts, corn shellers, lawn mowers and lime spreaders carried the company from the 1930s through the 1960s. Baggage carriers for Allegheny and Piedmont airlines and Parti-Barge pontoon boats are among the company’s more unusual products. The company failed in 1975 when Sears selected another manufacturer for a line of shredder-baggers for garden use previously made by Red Cross Manufacturing.

A parts list for Red Cross fruit presses and crushers was among the material sent by Ms. Curry. “P31N” is the part number for the cross head of a Model Number 242.82 fruit press. The undated parts list provides part price information for four different models.

Auction fever is a dangerous and often expensive disease. You contracted a case of it at the auction you attended. In today’s world of antiques and collectibles, it pays to comparison shop. According to WorthPoint, a Red Cross wine press sold on eBay in April 2008 for $89.59. A similar example closed on eBay on March 17, 2011 for $64.99. An eBay seller had an example for sale on May 27 with an opening bid request of $50 and a “Buy It Now” price of $175. The only solace I can offer is that there are no fixed values in the antiques and collectibles field. An object’s value is momentary. At the moment you bought your Red Cross fruit press, it was worth $310.

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QUESTION: I bought an old reel lawn mower. The handle says “W. Bingham / Rainbow” on it. The patent date is 1923. I am restoring it and want to know the history and period color. Can you help?

– CS, via e-mail

ANSWER: Edwin Budding of Thrupp, a small town outside Stroud in Gloucestershire, England, developed the cylinder—known in the United States as the reel—mower in the late 1820s. His first British patent was granted on Aug. 31, 1830. Thomas Green introduced the first chain-driven lawn mower in 1859. Amariah Hills was granted the first United States patent for a reel lawn mower on Jan. 12, 1868. Most of these early cylinder/reel mowers were horse drawn, although human pushed examples were made. The next major innovation was the side wheel mechanism featuring cast iron wheels that contained ratchets inside the castings to drive the blades. Elwood McGuire of Richmond, Ind. is credited with creating the first commercially successful, lightweight, easy to push mower. See Ted Sternberg’s “American Green: The Quest for the Perfect Lawn” (W.W. Norton & Company, 2007) for a detailed history of reel and power mowers.

I found several Internet references to reel lawn mowers made by W. Bingham Company of Cleveland, Ohio. A YouTube posting shows a “Queen” model at work. I was not able to find any information about the “Rainbow” model.

William Bingham and Henry C. Blossom established a hardware store at the corner of Superior and Water (9th) Street in Cleveland in 1841. W. Bingham Co. was incorporated in 1888. In 1915, Bingham ended its retail operations and became a wholesaler, operating out of an industrial warehouse building designed by Walker and Weeks and located at 1278 West 9th Street. Bingham contracted with outside manufacturers to produce hardware tools and other equipment under the W. Bingham brand. At the peak of its operations in the 1940s, W. Bingham Company served 12 states. W. Bingham ceased its warehouse operations on June 15, 1961, a victim of the trading stamp and discount store craze. A group of employees bought the company and continued to wholesale tools, now without the W. Bingham brand.

While some reel mowers had painted wheels, most had varnished wooden handles and unpainted metal. The Cleveland Public Library or Case Western Reserve might have W. Bingham wholesale catalogs in their files. However, it is most likely that 1930s and earlier catalogs will be printed in black and white and be of little help determining if any color scheme was used on W. Bingham mowers.

While optimistic eBay sellers offer antique reel mowers with “Buy It Now” prices north of $50, most examples that sell through realize less than $20. Ten dollars is a high price at a local auction.

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QUESTION: I own the Franklin Mint 60 bronze Thomson Medallic Bible set. What is its value?

– J, Lehigh Valley, Pa.

ANSWER: A few months ago, I answered a similar question asking the value of the Franklin Mint’s Rembrandt collection medals. However, the medals in that set were sterling silver, a precious metal. These medals are made from bronze, a base or non-precious medal. To paraphrase Robert Frost’s poem “The Road Not Taken” . . . and that makes all the difference.

The Franklin Mint issued its set of Thomson Medallic Bible between 1967 and 1970. The set took its inspiration from a historic set Sir Edward Thomas of England sculpted based on old master paintings. The sterling silver set (2,090 sets minted) sold for $570. The bronze set (9,031 sets minted) retailed at $158.

Franklin Mint is offering a sterling silver set for sale on its website for $3,797 plus $25 shipping—not a bad return on a $570 investment. Alas, Proxibid reports a bronze set sold at Affiliated Auctions & Realty in Tallahassee, Fla. on Oct. 24, 2009 for $50. In the somewhat better news department, Wickliff & Associates Auctioneers in Carmel, Ind. sold a set for $100 on Jan. 16, 2010. In the better-than-nothing news department, at least the bronze set has some value, even though it is around half the initial cost. If I was selling and someone offered me $50, I would kiss the hand, take the money and be thankful the medals were now the new buyer’s problem.

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Rinker Enterprises and Harry L. Rinker are on the Internet. Check out Harry’s Web site..

You can listen and participate in Harry’s antiques-and-collectibles radio call-in show “Whatcha Got?” on Sunday mornings between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. Eastern Time. It streams live on the Genesis Communications Network.

“Sell, Keep Or Toss? How To Downsize A Home, Settle An Estate, And Appraise Personal Property” (House of Collectibles, an imprint of the Random House Information Group), Harry’s latest book, is available at your favorite bookstore and via Harry’s Web site..

Harry L. Rinker welcomes questions from readers about collectibles, those mass-produced items from the 20th century. Selected queries will be answered on this site. Harry cannot provide personal answers. Send your questions to: Rinker on Collectibles, 5955 Mill Pond Court SE, Kentwood, MI 49512. You can e-mail your questions to harrylrinker [at] aol [dot] com. Only e-mails containing a full name and mailing address will be considered. Please indicate that these are questions for WorthPoint.

Copyright © Rinker Enterprises, Inc. 2011

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Q & A with Harry Rinker: Beatrix Potter Figures, Barrel Butter Churn & More

Harry Rinker — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 19:34:34 +0000

QUESTION: I own 28 Beatrix Potter figures that I bought years ago at Hess Brothers in Allentown, Pa. They are marked “Warne” and “England” on the bottom. Do they have value?

– E, Allentown, Pa.

ANSWER: James Wright Beswick formed J. W. Beswick, a pottery manufacturer in Longton, Stoke-on-Trent, England in 1892. His son John joined the firm in 1894. James died in 1921 and John in 1935. John’s son, John Ewart Beswick, assumed control; and, Gilbert Beswick became sales director. The company changed its name to John Beswick, Ltd., in 1936.

Arthur Gredington, a modeler of animal figures, joined the company. In 1947, Lucy Beswick—fascinated with the illustrations of Peter Rabbit and his friends found in Beatrix Potter’s books—suggested Beswick acquire rights to create figurines based on Potter’s drawings. John Beswick licensed the rights to 10 characters from Frederick Warne & Co. in 1948. Gredington modeled Jemima Puddle Duck, the first figure to be produced. Versions of several of Beswick’s Potter figurines remain in production.

Frederick Warne & Co. published Beatrix Potter’s “Tales of Peter Rabbit” in 1902. In1905, Potter was engaged to marry Norman Warne, her editor. He died a few weeks later. His brother Harold assumed the role of Potter’s editor. Potter provided one to two new titles each year to Warne until 1913, when she married William Heelis. She assigned the rights to her books to Frederick Warne & Co. upon her death (1943).

When the last Beswick heir died in 1969, Royal Doulton bought the company. The Royal Albert DA backstamp replaced the Beswick backstamp on the Potter figurines in 1989.

Seven different backstamps—the third with three variations—have been used for Potter figurines since 1947. The backstamp determines the price. “F. Warne & Co. Ltd.” did not appear until the second backstamp (1955 to 1972). This backstamp, used on 38 figures, is known as the “Beswick Gold oval.” “BESWICK / ENGLAND” appears in gold lettering in an oval format. The third backstamp (1973 to 1988) is known as the “Beswick Brown line.” “BESWICK ENGLAND” appears as a single line with no copyright date (1973 to 1974), a copyright date (1975 to 1985), and a copyright date but no “S” in Potter (1985 to 1988). If you bought your figurines at Hess Brothers, they will have one of these four backstamps.

There are several dozen Internet websites, such as www.doult.com, offering Beswick Royal Doulton Beatrix Potter figurines for sale. Figurines with the second backstamp sell between $150 and $500, depending on the character. Figurines with the third backstamp range from $85 to $150, and those with scarce variations reach $500.

Given the limited information you provided, this is as detailed an answer as I can give. When checking Internet prices, remember these are retail (what you would pay to buy) not wholesale (what you would get if you sold your figurines to a dealer) prices. Assuming a minimum price of $50 a figurine, a conservative value—and that none of the figurines are damaged—your collection of 28 figurines is worth a minimum of $1,400.

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QUESTION: I have a barrel butter churn. The front of the barrel reads: “THE BELLE CHURN / MANUFACTURED BY / J. McDERMAID / ROCKFORD, IL.” What is it worth?

– VR, State College, Pa., via e-mail

ANSWER: Because the transportation of sweet milk and cream over long distances was difficult in the18th and 19th century, farmers separated the cream from the milk and transformed it into butter. This was taken to local markets or placed in stoneware crocks and transported to larger urban markets.

J. McDermaid of Rockford, Ill. made four different barrel butter churns: the Belle, the Boss, the Columbian, and the Favorite. It also made the Star for Sears, Roebuck, and Company. C. H. Wendel’s “Encyclopedia of American Farm Implements & Antiques, 2nd Edition” (Krause Publications, 2004 ) provides documentation that McDermaid’s used the trade names Belle (1905, 1931), Boss (1892) and Star (1892). William Dobson and H. H. Palmer were other barrel butter churn manufacturers located in Rockford, Ill.

John McDermaid was granted his first barrel butter churn patent on Oct. 24, 1876. The patent protected the design for a set of beaters inside the barrel. Time proved beaters were unnecessary. John McDermaid held three additional patents—Oct. 9, 1888; March 19, 1889; and Sept. 8, 1891—related to the lever system used to seal churns.

Oak was used to create a barrel that was housed inside a wood “U” frame. A crank handle on the side turned the churn. The barrel was half filled with cream. The speed of the rotation varied from 40 to 80 revolutions per minute depending on the size of the barrel; the smaller the barrel the faster the rotation. The cream fell as the barrel was rotated, creating churns. The barrel required a tight seal so it would not leak. The turning process had to be stopped on occasion to allow the lid to be opened to relieve pressure that built up inside.

Barrel butter churns sold in the late 19th century for as little as $2.35. The price rose as high as $6 by the 1920s/1930s. Sears, Roebuck still featured the Star churn in its 1942-43 catalog.

[Author’s Aside: See Dairy Antiques for a detailed history of barrel and other types of butter churns.]

Skinner’s in Massachusetts recently sold a Belle churn for $50. WorthPoint’s Worthopedia lists an example selling on July 13, 2008 for $75. Belle churns seen at Midwest antiques malls and shows range from $125 to $175. At the moment, these churns have more decorative than collector value.

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QUESTION: I have a black-and-white photograph of the Washington Monument that I think dates from around 1919. It was framed and sold by Veerhoff Galleries in Washington, DC. How do I go about finding out if it has value?

– RK, Hagerstown, Md., via e-mail

ANSWER: In 1871, Wilhelm H. Veerhoff opened a shop at 916 Seventh Street, NW, in Washington, DC. Veerhoff sold Victorian frames, wall decorations, wallpaper and window shades. Although a 2000 Washington Post article indicated that Margaret Veerhoff, Wilhelm’s great-granddaughter, was planning to close the shop (now located at 1054 31st Street NW), several Internet websites indicate the shop is still in business. It is touted as Washington, DC’s oldest framer and gallery.

The Washington Monument (900 Ohio Drive SW, Washington, DC 20024) is administered by the National Mall & Memorial Parks. Write a letter asking the curator if he can identify the photographer and date. I suspect your photographic image is common. If so, its value is minimal, less than $35 framed. Should the image prove scarce, value will increase.

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QUESTION: I inherited my mother’s 6 1/2 –inch-tall, tapered-body, green translucent vase featuring a relief impression of half an ear of corn with husk remains at the bottom. The body rests on a flat base impressed with husk or leaf images. My mother attached a note that states the vase is worth over $300. Is this possible?

– JB, Caledonia, Mich.

ANSWER: You own an example of Northwood’s carnival glass corn vase. Northwood was located in Wheeling, W.V. Northwood made corn vases in 1911 and 1912.

There are two pattern variations: (1) the standard version with husk around the base of the body and (2) a scarcer variation with what appear to be pulled husks. The standard version is found with two different base types: (a) plain and (b) with leaves, sometimes referred to as stalks.

David Doty’s Carnival Glass web site lists16 color variations for the standard vase with the leaves/stalk base—amethyst, aqua, aqua opal, blue, green, green (Coke bottle color), green emerald, ice blue, ice green, lime green, marigold, olive green, purple, sapphire blue, teal and white. Color impacts price. Because of the lack of quality control, color tone varied. Doty recommends holding a strong light behind an area where there is no iridescence—for example, the edge of the collar on a bowl—to determine color. There are six variations of greens in the 16 colors listed.

An ice green vase with leaves/stalk base closed on eBay on April 17, 2011 for $397.19, which included shipping. Jim Wroda Auction sold a similar ice green corn vase for $225 at his March 20, 2011 auction. WorthPoint lists a “green” corn cob vase that brought $180.26 on July 17, 2007. David Doty’s Carnival Glass web site, which is organized by pattern, object and color, provides multiple sale results for pieces.

Assuming you have a standard Northwood corn vase with a leaf/stalk base in one of the common green colors, value ranges from $300 to $400.

Collectors often confuse the Northwood corn vase with the Dugan opalescent corn vase, even though the two bear little resemblance to each other. The Dugan opalescent corn vase has an extended full corn body, curved dip at the top, and openings between twisted sections of husk. Richard Wright made reproductions of the Dugan corn vase in the 1950s and 1960s.

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Rinker Enterprises and Harry L. Rinker are on the Internet. Check out Harry’s Web site..

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Q & A with Harry Rinker: David Bradley Walk-Behind Tractor, Tho’s Maddock’s Son’s Biscuit Jar

Harry Rinker — Tue, 31 May 2011 16:31:16 +0000

QUESTION: I am storing a 1952 David Bradley walk-behind tractor with several attachments, among which are a cultivator, harrow, plow, push plow, rotary mower and wheel weights. Everything is in working order. Restoration should not require more than a repaint. Where is the market, and what price should I ask?

– TT, Old Town Maine, via e-mail

ANSWER: David Bradley, Bradley, Ill., manufactured walk-behind tractors for Sears from 1946 through 1967. Gary Treible has created a web site that provides detailed information on models and features, serial numbers and paint for Bradley walk-behind tractors.

David Bradley (1811-1899) was born in Croton, NY, worked for his brother C. C. Bradley in Syracuse, and moved to Chicago in 1835. From the mid-1830s until 1854, Bradley farmed, lumbered and made farm machinery at several locations in Illinois and Wisconsin. When he returned to Chicago, he purchased a part interest in a plow company. In 1884, Bradley and his sons bought the outstanding shares and named the company the David Bradley Manufacturing Company. In 1895, the company relocated to North Kankakee, Ill. Later North Kankakee was renamed Bradley, Illinois.

The Bradley family sold the company to Sears, Roebuck and Co. in 1910. The Newark Ohio Company bought Bradley from Sears in 1962. Fire destroyed most of the factory in 1986.

Jim Cunzenheim, Sr., president of the more than 900-member Vintage Garden Tractor Club of America, informed me that the first motor-driven, walk-behind garden tractors date to the late-1910s. Many early examples were homemade. Walk-behind tractors were designed to do the work of a single horse. Most were used by small commercial truck farmers and managers of large estates. During World War II, homeownership increased.

Cunzenheim noted there were more than 35 different attachments for the Bradley walk-behind tractors. Walk-behind tractor collectors most covet examples from the 1950s and 1960s. Hence, your Bradley is in demand.

The secondary eBay market for Bradley walk-behind tractors and accessories is active. Unrestored examples begin at $100. Your walk-behind with its accessories is a secondary market retail worth between $300 and $350.

EBay is not the only secondary market. Vintage garden tractors are featured at most “steam” and farm machinery/tractor meets. The VGTCOA sponsors plow meets throughout the Midwest and in Canada. These venues offer excellent sale opportunities.

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QUESTION: I have a bulbous body biscuit jar with a flared out collar. The domed lid has a knob. The outside of the jar has ornate floral decoration which appears to have been applied utilizing a decal. The jar is marked on the bottom “Tho’s Maddeoh’s Lor’s Co., Trenton, NJ.” There also is a seal, which I cannot make out, surrounded by “New Jersey Pottery Co.” Finally, there is red script that reads: “62nd / Annual / Banquet / Chester Lodge / No. 236 / F. & A. M. / Thursday Evening December 1, 1910.” There is one small crack in the lid. How much is this jar worth?

– AS, via e-mail

ANSWER: You have misread the mark. It is “Maddock’s Son’s.” Thomas Maddock purchased pottery interests belonging to Mr. Coughley of Trenton in 1869. At the 1876 Centennial, Astbury & Maddock exhibited household sanitary crockery and earthenware. Maddock eventually gained full control of the company and brought his sons into the business. The company eventually became part of American Standard.

The Chester (Pennsylvania) Lodge #236 of the Free and Accepted Mason came into existence on Feb. 23, 1849. It replaced Chester Lodge #69, which received its charter on June 24, 1796 and had its warrant recalled in June 1838 during the height of the anti-Masonic movement. Lodge #236 met initially in the Penn Building at the corner of Third and Market Streets. In the mid-1850s, Lodge #236 built a new building at the corner of Broad and Madison Streets. In 1875, Lodge #236 bought Lincoln Hall at Fourth and Market Streets. The 62nd Annual Banquet took place in the banquet hall in that building.

Banquet souvenirs were common. Lodge #236 had Tho’s Maddock’s Son’s manufacture a taped body pitcher featuring an applied decal of a “pretty lady” and a “C” scroll handle for its 60th annual banquet. WorthPoint.com lists an example that sold on eBay on Aug. 5, 2010 for $39.90 plus shipping. In 1907, Maddock made a souvenir plate featuring the interior of Lodge #236. WorthPoint.com cites an example that closed on eBay on June 27, 2007 for $18 plus shipping and handling.

While your biscuit jar has appeal to biscuit jar collectors, its primary value rests with fraternal and Chester, Pa., collectors. Given the crack in the lid, its value is between $25 and $35.

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QUESTION: I own a copy of Ellis Credle’s “The Flop-Eared Hound,” a children’s book illustrated with photographic images of a black boy and a hound dog. What can you tell me about the history of this book and its value?

– G, Ashland, ME

ANSWER: Ellis Credle (Aug. 18, 1902-Feb. 21, 1998) is a well-known author and illustrator of children’s books. She was born in Hyde County on North Carolina’s Pamlico Sound and attended Louisburg College. After spending four years teaching in the Blue Ridge Mountains, she went to New York to study advertising, interior design, and portraiture. During that period, she also served as a governess, keeping her charges entertained by telling stories. She wrote several drafts of children’s books but failed to find a publisher. Moving on to draw reptiles for the American Museum of National History and paint murals for the Brooklyn’s Children’s Museum, she eventually found a publisher for “Down Down the Mount” (1934). Other book contracts followed.

Ellis Credle married Charles deKay Townsend, a noted outdoor photographer. They lived in western North Carolina, Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia before moving to Zapopan in the State of Jalisco, Mexico in 1947. “My Pet Peepolo” (1948) is a children’s book set in Mexico. Unable to make a living from his photography in Mexico, the Townsends returned to the United States. Credle’s papers are archived at the University of Oregon in Eugene.

Prior to 1945, there were few children’s books portraying African-American children in a positive light. One exception was Ellis Credle’s “The Flop-Eared Hound” (1938), a 61-page book that told the story of an African American boy Bootjack and his dog. Instead of creating artwork, Credle used her husband’s photographs to illustrate the book. Bootjack and his family lived on a tobacco farm. The troublesome coonhound redeems himself by finding a lost little boy. The book is noteworthy for its failure to tell the story in the standard stereotype dialect.

“The Flop-Eared Hound,” published by Oxford University Press/Cadmus, enjoyed multiple editions, each with a different cover design. The website abebooks.com contains listings ranging in asking price from $8.95 to $165 plus shipping. An example recently sold on eBay for $4.12 plus shipping. While the extreme price range reflects condition, it more accurately represents perceived value on the part of the seller. The two highest prices, $100 and $165, are from booksellers who specialize in ethnic-theme children’s books. The seller who had the book listed for $165 on Abe Books lowered the price to $150 on his web site. It pays to comparison shop.

A realistic secondary market value for your book is between $18 and $25.

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QUESTION: I have a pot metal Liberty Bell paperweight, a souvenir from the 1926 Sesquicentennial. What is it worth?

– RM, via e-mail

ANSWER: The1926 Sesqui-Centennial International Exposition, held in Philadelphia, celebrated America’s 150th anniversary. The fair opened on May 31, 1926 and closed in November. Louis Kahn designed many of the buildings. The exposition’s entrance symbol was an 80-foot replica of the Liberty Bell covered in 26,000 lights. A bridge, later known as the Benjamin Franklin Bridge, was built between Philadelphia and Camden to handle the anticipated crowds. Although approximately 10 million people attended the exhibition, it was unable to pay its debts, was placed in receivership in 1927, and the assets sold at auction.

The pot metal Liberty Bell paperweight is a commonly found souvenir of the exposition. An example in very good or better condition sells for between $20 and $30.

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Rinker Enterprises and Harry L. Rinker are on the Internet. Check out Harry’s Web site..

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Q & A with Harry Rinker: Smoking on Air Force One, Punt Gun, Austin Production

Harry Rinker — Wed, 18 May 2011 15:30:11 +0000

QUESTION: I have a pack of Air Force One cigarettes and matching matchbook. What are they worth?

– G, Bethlehem, Pa.

ANSWER: President John F. Kennedy began the practice of providing guests aboard Air Force One with a pack of “Air Force One” cigarettes upon request. The custom continued through the presidency of Ronald Reagan. Visitors aboard Nixon’s “The Spirit of 76” Air Force One found a presidential matchbook in every ashtray. Most individuals kept the cigarettes and matches rather than use them.

There are dozens of versions of the cigarettes. In the beginning, a pack of cigarettes had a plain black and gold presidential shield card placed under the cellophane. Leading American tobacco manufacturers provided the cigarettes. Hence, the brand varied. Camel, Lark, Pall Mall, and Viceroy were among the brands used. Brown & Williamson Tobacco Company’s king-size cigarettes had a slip case. First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy preferred L&M cigarettes but disliked its pack presentation.

Packs from the 1970s and 1980s featured the presidential seal on a blue ground. Philip Morris made a plastic pack featuring an embossed gold seal. Some designs contained a bottom banner reading “AIR FORCE ONE.” Similar presidential cigarette packs can be found with “Welcome to Camp David,” “Welcome Aboard Marine One,” and other presidential locations.

The gifting of cigarettes ended in May 1988. However, the issuing of presidential matchbooks continued.

[Author’s Aside: Air Force One souvenirs are not limited to cigarettes and matchbooks. Visitors also “sticky fingered” ashtrays, the book about the history of the plane, card decks, golf balls, napkins, seat cards and towels. Air Force One jackets and other non-flight souvenirs also are available.]

Age, presidency and presentation determine the value of Air Force One cigarettes and matchbooks. WorthPoint lists a 1960s pack of cigarettes that sold in 2007 for $45. EBay has a “Buy it Now” listing of $71 for an Air Force One cigarette pack. At the same time, there are several ongoing auctions for Air Force One cigarette packs with opening bid requests under $10. None have received a response. A box of 50 Air Force One matchbooks sold for $89, less than $2 per pack, on eBay.

Realistically, cigarette pack values range from $8 to $15 for packs from the 1980s to $30 to $40 for earlier packs. Matchbook values range from $3 to $8 with earlier examples bringing the highest price.

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QUESTION: I own a punt gun with a percussion cap firing mechanism. There are no maker’s marks. The diameter of the bore is bigger than a quarter. I have no history on the piece. What information can you provide?

– R, Weavertown, Pa.

ANSWER: Commercial hunters supplying meat to butchers and restaurants and feathers to hat makers used swivel or punt guns, muzzle loading jumbo shotguns measuring five feet or more in barrel length, to shoot large quantities of game. A single shot could kill as many as 50 birds.

Because of their size and recoil, these guns were often mounted on punts, small flat-bottomed hunting boats with a square bow, which were maneuvered into place in shallow waters by the hunter using a pole or oars. Hunters often worked in groups as large as 10. When fired, the punt boat was propelled backward several inches.

Punt guns fall into two categories: (1) those made by a gun manufacturer, primarily in England, and (2) those assembled by a local hunter using custom-made barrels and commercial firing mechanisms. The barrels often contain no markings. Bore diameters often exceeded 2 inches (51 cm). A typical load contained over a pound of shot.

Most states outlawed the use of punt guns by the last quarter of the 19th century. The 1900 Lacey Act prohibited the transportation of wild game across state lines, seriously impacting commercial hunting. By 1918, a series of federal laws outlawed the practice. The use of punt guns with a bore of less than 1 ¾ inches is still permitted within the United Kingdom.

Because of the great diversity in quality, determining the secondary market value for punt guns is difficult. Most surviving punt guns are in museums, especially those featuring duck hunting exhibits. Collector demand is not strong due to the novelty aspect of the weapon.

A dealer in Florida has an 1890 2-gauge punt gun listed for $17,500 on gunsamerica.com. Much to my surprise, a second dealer sold a John Dickson 4 bore punt gun that was listed at $49,500. The exact amount at which the gun sold is not revealed. I strongly suspect it was not the asking price.

Since you provided only minimal information about your weapon, it is difficult to assign a specific value. Given its unknown origin and assuming it was made by a hunter using some commercial parts and in rough (unrestored) condition, its minimum curiosity value is between $1,500 and $2,000.

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QUESTION: What are your thoughts about the secondary market for products made by Austin Production?

– TB, via e-mail

ANSWER: The abundance of conflicting information creates a challenged when doing research on the Internet. This proved to be the case in trying to establish the history of Austin Production.

Several URLs indicate Austin Production, also known as Austin Sculpture, is or was located in Holbrook, N.Y. The business reportedly began as a family business in Brooklyn, N.Y. and grew into a worldwide sales/importer of contemporary and reproduction garden and home statuary made in cold-cast resin or Durastone.

A BusinessWeek URL listing indicates the business is located in Ronkonkoma, N.Y. and was founded in 1953. The website listing of austin-allaboutyourhome.com is blank. Yet, another URL listing business histories notes Austin Productions was incorporated in 1978 in California, but the incorporation is not active.

Austin Production pieces appear for sale on eBay and numerous garden sites. Based on the products, Austin Production is/was a wholesaler of inexpensive to semi-expensive mass-produced statuary designed primarily for decorative use in the garden and home.

It is improbable that anyone will collect Austin Production as a specialized collecting category in the near, intermediate or long-term future. However, it is possible that some of its products, such as menorahs, will be part of specialized theme collections.

The secondary market value for Austin Production pieces is driven by reuse, primarily decorative. Using the “cheaper than new” principle, resale value is between 10 and 25 cents of the original purchase value. A secondary market value above initial cost is a dream rather than reality.

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QUESTION: I own two Lipton teapots, one red and one blue. I recently saw one for sale for $40 in an antiques mall. Is this price accurate?

– M, Beloit, Wis.

ANSWER: In the 1930s, the Hall China Company of East Liverpool, Ohio made a teapot, creamer and sugar set as a Lipton Tea giveaway premium. Hall also made premium giveaways for General Electric, Hotpoint, Montgomery Ward and Westinghouse at the same time.

The Lipton sets were manufactured in six colors: (1) black; (2) blue, medium; (3) green, dark; (4) green, light olive; (5) maroon (burgundy); and (6) yellow (butterscotch). Pearl China produced a limited number of bright red teapots by re-glazing yellow teapots. Chances are strong your “red” teapot is maroon.

Lipton teapots sell on eBay between $15 and $20. In the field and at Internet store fronts, prices are higher, somewhere between $35 and $45 for the teapot is a standard field price. One optimistic Internet store front seller is asking $69.96 for a yellow teapot. It is likely to remain in inventory for an extended period.

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Rinker Enterprises and Harry L. Rinker are on the Internet. Check out Harry’s Web site..

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Q & A with Harry Rinker: Dexterity Puzzles, ‘Treasure Chest’ Comic, 46-Star Flag

Harry Rinker — Tue, 03 May 2011 20:08:02 +0000

QUESTION: I have a group of “Popular Puzzles” marked R.J. Can you identify them for me? – TK, via e-mail

ANSWER: You own Journet dexterity puzzles. Robert Journet opened a toy shop near Paddington, London, in 1878. In the 1890s, Journet began manufacturing dexterity puzzles. Initially marketed in the United Kingdom, Journet expanded into the American market in 1918.

R. Journet & Co. designed more than 100 glass-top, metal case, dexterity puzzles. The firm was located at 201a Harrow Road, Paddington. The back of a Journet dexterity puzzle often contains a list of other puzzles in the company’s line.

When Robert Journet died, his son Frederick assumed control of the company. Abbey Corinthian Games purchased Journet in 1965. Production ceased in the 1970s.

Value depends on the puzzle, age, and condition. Many of the puzzles remained in production for decades. Post-1945 examples sell on eBay for as little as $1. Prices between $3 and $8 are common. I have seen older examples for sale at antiques malls and shows in the $15 to $35 range.

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QUESTION: I have some old comic books that I checked out on eBay. However, I have one titled “Treasure Chest” from 1946 for which I could find no listing. Obviously, it must be worth a lot. Am I right?

– PT, Little Falls, Minn., via e-mail

ANSWER: There are two possibilities. You have only considered one, the one most advantageous to you. Your “Treasure Chest” comic also might be common and of such low value that it does not pay a seller to list it. Alas, the latter is the case.

“Treasure Chest”— the full name is “Treasure Chest of Fun and Fact”—was created by George A. Pflaum, a Dayton, Ohio publisher, for distribution to Catholic parochial school students. The first issued appeared on March 12, 1946. “Treasure Chest” was published biweekly during the school year. It was available only by subscription. There was no newsstand distribution. Slick covers were added in 1948. In the 1960s, “Treasure Chest” became a monthly. The only summer issues were printed in 1966 and 1967.

“Treasure Chest” was one of the longest running comic books to feature non-fiction. Contributors included Bernard Bailey, James O. Christiansen, Reed Crandall, Even Graham, Clara Elsene Peck, Bob Powell, Joe Sinnot and Ozella Welch. Issues featuring artwork by these comic book artists increase collector appeal. While an occasional sensational story—for example Crandall’s “The Godless Communism” series—appeared, the bulk of the content was wholesome in nature: kids in school, lives of saints and sports.

“Treasure Chest’s” popularity diminished in the mid-1960s. The last issue was July 1972. Although more than 500 issues were printed, most collectors, unless they grew up Catholic in the late 1940s through the late 1960s, never heard of it.

If you have one of the first issues in very good or better condition, its value is between $10 and $15. However, I am concerned that the 1946 date is a copyright date and not a volume number. Look carefully at the publisher’s information. There should be a volume and issue number—the higher the volume number, the lower the value. Again, the exceptions are those issues featuring stories by collectible comic book artist-writers. Most issues sell between $2 and $6 in very good or better condition.

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QUESTION: I have a silk, 46-star flag that measures 46 by 32 inches. While the condition is good, it was folded for storage. What can you tell me about its history and how to best preserve it, and its value?

– JG, College Point, NY

ANSWER: Oklahoma, formed by combining the Oklahoma Territory and Indian Territory, became the 46th state on Nov. 16, 1907. Flag fields changed on July 4 following the year of admission of a state. Hence, the 46-star flag was first “officially” flown on July 4, 1908. New Mexico joined the union as the 47th state on Jan. 6, 1912 and Arizona as the 48th state on Feb. 12, 1912. Hence, the final day for the 46-star flag was July 3, 1912. Presidents Theodore Roosevelt (1901-09) and William H. Taft (1909-13) served under the 46-star flag.

Forty-six-star flags are more difficult to find than 45-star flags, which flew for 12 years, and 48-star flags that served as the official flag for 47 years. The 49-star flag signifying the admission of Alaska existed for only one year, July 4, 1959 to July 3, 1960. It is not as desirable among collectors as the 46-star flag.

Stop folding the flag. If you have the space, lay the flag flat on a piece of acid free mat board. The creasing should lessen over time. You might consider covering the flag with a second piece of acid free mat board and applying a “little” weight, perhaps one layer of hardback novels.

Resist the temptation to wash and/or iron the flag. If you decide to clean the flag, have this done by a textile conservator, not your local dry cleaner. Your local museum or historical society should be able to provide you with a list of textile conservators in your area.

If you cannot store the flag flat, roll the flag around a thick mailing or carpet tube. Sandwich the flag between two pieces of acid free tissue before beginning the rolling process. Store the flag in a dark area, for example a closet. Do not—repeat NOT—put the flag into a plastic bag of any sort. If you wish to encase the rolled flag, use a linen, king-size pillow cover. The goal is to keep the flag free of dust.

Light is an enemy. When displaying the flag, minimize its contact with direct sunlight. It is best to avoid contact at all with direct sunlight. If framing it, consider using UV (ultra violet) reducing glass.

Humidity and temperature also are concerns. Do not store the flag in an attic or basement. Avoid any area where humidity and temperature fluctuate between extremes. Silk and other fabric flags prefer humidity between 55 and 65 percent. If you are comfortable where the flag is stored, chances are it is as well.

If you wish to display your flag, have a piece of acid free mat board cut to dimensions that add between a 1 ½- and 2-inch border. Obtain a piece of unbleached muslin and create/sew a pocket to house the acid free mat board. Using a very thin thread, thinner than silk if possible, sew the flag to the unbleached muslin. Once done, create a mat to fit on top. Frame this sandwich. This technique creates minimal strain on the fabric and prevents the fabric from touching the glass of the frame.

Flag value depends on a great many factors such as material, size, and condition. The photograph that accompanied your letter suggests your flag is in very good condition. Silk flags are common. The value of your flag is between $30 and $40. The cost of preservation and proper matting and framing will far exceed this amount.

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QUESTION: I have a number of Franklin Mint silver medals from the Rembrandt collection. However, I do not have the complete set. Do they have collector value or just melt value? How much silver is in each medal?

– J, via e-mail

ANSWER: The Franklin Mint issued its Rembrandt’s Genius Medals set between 1972 and 1976. The complete set consists of 50 medals in a wooden cabinet. Each metal depicted one of Rembrandt’s artwork in high relief.

Each metal is sterling silver with a mintage of .9887 silver. The medals measure 51mm in diameter. The weight of each medal is 1,000 grains which translates into 2.28571429 ounces. The entire set contains 104 ounces of silver. The initial cost for each medal was $17, and the set price was $850.

The web site Franklin Mint Silver is currently selling the full set for $4,849, plus $74 for shipping. This is an average price of slightly more than $98 per medal.

On April 27, 2011, the silver bullion price was $47.77. At this value, the value of a single medal is just over $98.50. Of course, no one is going to pay bullion price.

Several examples sold recently on eBay in the $70 range. A dealer posted a “Buy It Now” price of $123.40. He is a candidate for my Optimist Dealer of the Month award. WorthPoint’s Worthopedia contains a listing for a full set that sold in October 2007 for $1,277.77. The bullion price of silver then was about one-third of what it is today.

Your Franklin Mint Rembrandt medals have no collector value. Their value rests solely on the current bullion price of silver. If you are considering selling them for melt, now is the time.

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Rinker Enterprises and Harry L. Rinker are on the Internet. Check out Harry’s Web site..

You can listen and participate in Harry’s antiques-and-collectibles radio call-in show “Whatcha Got?” on Sunday mornings between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. Eastern Time. It streams live on the Genesis Communications Network.

“Sell, Keep Or Toss? How To Downsize A Home, Settle An Estate, And Appraise Personal Property” (House of Collectibles, an imprint of the Random House Information Group), Harry’s latest book, is available at your favorite bookstore and via Harry’s Web site..

Harry L. Rinker welcomes questions from readers about collectibles, those mass-produced items from the 20th century. Selected queries will be answered on this site. Harry cannot provide personal answers. Send your questions to: Rinker on Collectibles, 5955 Mill Pond Court SE, Kentwood, MI 49512. You can e-mail your questions to harrylrinker [at] aol [dot] com. Only e-mails containing a full name and mailing address will be considered. Please indicate that these are questions for WorthPoint.

Copyright © Rinker Enterprises, Inc. 2011

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